Roles of Disability Action Council (DAC)
The role of DAC Secretariat is facilitating the government, national and international agencies, businesses, religious organizations and communities to work together either people with disability to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a National Plan of Action on Disability and Rehabilitation, building on the Strategic Directions for Disability and Rehabilitation (SDDR) sector in Cambodia and founded on the guiding principles of the Biwako Millemmium Framework 2003-2012.- International Organizations began providing service for the disabled in the early 1980's;
- Expansion of the number of NGOs a Cambodia during 1990's resulted in a lack of coordination and services provided;
- This resulted in lack of Financial, Technical and Managerial sustainability of services provided;
- 1995-saw a joint initiative between MOSALVY and Expatriate advisors-resulted in the initiation of a joint Ministry, NGOs, Task force with the aim of developing a National Disability Strategy;
- A major recommendation included in the strategy was that a permanent body be set up to act as a semi-independent coordinator of disability services throughout Cambodia;
- The Disability Action Council (DAC) was therefore established-it became fully operational in 1998 on receipt of funding commitment from the USAID/ Leahy War Victims Fund;
- At the same time the DAC-Secretariat was formed-to provide Technical/ Admin support to the Administration Board; Advisory technical and specialist committees and Working Group;
- A Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor, Vocational Training and Youth Rehabilitation (MOSALVY) Ministerial Declaration (PRAKAS) later formalized DAC's structure status as a semi-autonomous national coordinating body;
- Today DAC forms one of the largest cooperative, organizations in the country with many Governments, non government, national and international organizations under its umbrella;
- The operates through a strategic planning process and developed action plan activity.
GENERAL OVERVIEW
Since its establishment in 1997, DAC has earned and appreciated the respect and support of stakeholders in the Disability and Rehabilitation sector in Cambodia. It has subsequently become an effective national coordinating body and focal point on disability issues for the country, region and internationally. It is the first port of call for those wishing to learn about the sector. But DAC has been a victim of its own success. The DAC and its Secretariat in particular, has increasingly found its capacity being stretched to the limit as it tries to respond to all the demands made on it.
DAC has continued to co-ordinate services provided to persons with disabilities by its affiliated members and to provide necessary information and key recommendations as requested. Providing technical and secretariat support service to the DAC Committees and working Groups and coordinating the development and implementation of the sub-sectoral plan and national of action for the sector. DAC has also continued to build up capacity of members appointed from relevant government ministries and its NGOs member organizations through engaging them in the co-implementation of DAC partnership projects i.e. inclusive education, capacity building for women with disabilities, medical rehabilitation, etc.