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Message from H.E. Sem Sokha

It gives me the great pleasure to introduce the Annual Report of the Disability Action Council 2007.

As Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Social Affairs,Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) since 2005, I have taken a great interest in the work of the Disability Action Council.The council has induced considerable change in the last few years, but indications are that it is now emerging once again as a leader in the disability sector, provided that it does coordinating, facilitating and capacity building activity of a high quality.

We at MoSVY work particularly closely with the DAC, and benefit greatly for the help it has given us in our efforts to address the many problems facing the disabled in Cambodia today.

In particular, the work we are currently jointly undertaking in the area of Victim Assistance, Community Based Rehabilitation,Vocational Training, National Disability Legislation and the UN Convention on Disability Rights is of particular importance.
It is anticipated that 2008 we will see the Disability Action Council and Ministry of Social Affairs,Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation making into joint office accommodation.This will further strengthen the bonds between us and can only lead to more effective service delivery to persons with disabilities in Cambodia.

We look forward with positive anticipation in 2008 ahead.

H.E. Sem Sokha
Under Secretary of State
Ministry of Social Affairs,Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation

Message from H.E. Sam Sotha

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the Disability Action Council's annual report 2007. I have been a patron and supporter of this National Council for Persons with disabilities for many years since its inception in 1997.

A significant milestone was reached this year, with legislation and policy on people with disabilities approved by the Royal Government of Cambodia.The National Plan of Action (NPA) is being developed to address the needs of Landmine Victim Survivors and the persons with disabilities in general.The NPA is being finalized by April this year. This initiative to promote the rights of persons with disabilities in Cambodia was significantly improved.

Of course, there have been challenges this year too.With the landmine issue no longer prominent in the media and disabled people omitted from the Millennium Development Goals, disability issue are being left off the development agenda.As a result, it a constant struggle for the DAC to raise the money it needs to maintain and operate its work.

Disability Action Council (DAC), has been given amongst other tasks, the responsibility as the Semi-Autonomous Coordination Body to address the coordination and facilitation of disability organizations including Victim Assistance programs, the monitoring of their operation and the inspection of their outputs. The DAC has so far acknowledged that central coordination of activities as well as messages of disability programs supports and coordinates all organization agencies in the disability sector. It is therefore coordinating, facilitating and collecting information of all disability organizations/agencies as well as disabled persons including mine victims need to be taken soon at the national level by the DAC.

We believe that concerned funders will remain committed to disability sector in Cambodia, especially disability coordination activities and victim data collection program and the DAC in collaboration with Ministry of Social Affairs Veteran and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) will be responsible for implementing this kind of activities as described in the National Plan of Action.

Thanks to the many generous funders mentioned in this report, from governments to individuals, the DAC has been able to offer a helping hand out of poverty to thousands of disadvantaged disabled people in Cambodia.We look forward with hope to the year ahead.

We are confident that, the DAC in collaboration with MoSVY, CMAA and with full cooperation of all relevant partners can fulfill essentially its set objectives more effectively and efficiently in the year ahead.

Sincerely yours,

Sam Sotha
Ambassador
Mine Action, ERW, Cluster Munitions and Disarmament and Secretary General of the CMAA and Advisor to the Prime Minister

Message from the Executive Director

It gives me great pleasure to present to you the 2007 Annual Report of the Disability Action Council Secretariat.

We look back to 2007 with thankfulness for the contribution all have made to DAC - for the financial and human resources entrusted to us that enabled us to work for securing equal rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities and their families.The signing of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by the Royal Government of Cambodia indicates their commitment to securing these equal rights.

Since joining DAC in November, my most immediate challenge has been to access new sources of funding.This is progressing - we have reviewed our strategic plan, developed a revised plan of action, restructured budgets and have a number of proposals under consideration by donors.

We have begun the process of developing our strategy for the next 5 years. During 2008 we plan a participatory reflection process about our organizational culture and direction, as well as external consultation with stakeholders and partners. Our priorities will include the adoption of Cambodian legislation to Protect and Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the ratification and implementation of the UN Convention.We will also highlight the need to mainstream disability in the development of programs and services in all sectors of society.

A decade ago, the disability sector in Cambodia revolved around integrated mine action with a strong focus on demining and victim assistance.Today the majority of persons with disabilities are no longer landmine victims. For example the rate of accident cases have increased sharply over the years therefore the need for rehabilitation services is also increasing. Some specific groups of persons with disabilities also require attention.These include persons with all ages who have intellectual impairments.

A focus of the sector has been to influence public policy, and social attitudes that create 'disability' through discrimination, exclusion and neglect.This must remain a priority for the sector if persons with disabilities are to attend their rightful place in society. As a result, the focus of the sector needs to shift towards public policy, and social attitudes that create 'disability' through discrimination, exclusion and neglect.

The task we have set out to accomplish is larger than us.As such, we will consistently seek partnerships with government agencies, local and international NGOs, social and religious entities working in the country.To each who has engaged, debated, labored, guided and supported this ministry, we are deeply grateful - we could not accomplish it without your support.

Thank you for entrusting your resources to DAC as we work to transform the lives of persons with disabilities.Whether you are an individual donor, partner NGO, private supporter, international organizations or government agencies, you are helping us make a difference to the lives of persons with disabilities, families and communities.

Together with strong leadership from our Governing Board, and DAC secretariat management team and our staff, we look forward to the next year of working and collaborating with you to achieve our common goal for all persons with disabilities in Cambodia.

Sincerely,

Thong Vinal (Mr)

Acknowledgement

The staff of the DAC secretariat with to express their appreciation to the members of Executive Board Mr. Ngin Saorath (Chair), Ms. Mary Scott, Mr. Bruno Harmant, Mr.Touch Samon, Mr. Kuon Pheng and to the members of the specialized committees and working groups for their support and work during the past year.

The DAC Secretariat enjoys a special relationship with the Cambodian Government particularly the Ministry of Social Affairs,Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education and Sport, Ministry of Health and the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority. Senior officials have provided strong support and encouragement for all our activities in particular the contributions of H.E. Sam Sotha and H.E. Sem Sokha have been particularly valuable.

Recognition in particular should be given to our principal donors-USAID, UNICEF, DFID, EU, AusAID,ARC and World Bank to our full and affiliate members who have contributed to enable the DAC to produce some excellent results in what have been a difficult year.

Overview on disability in Cambodia

From 1970, Cambodia was severely affected by armed conflict.This resulted in the country being severely traumatized by both Landmines and UXO.Today, Cambodia has more than 40,000 landmine amputees and still suffers from a significant number of accidents.

Nevertheless, there was a substantial improvement in the situation since the late 1990s. Nowadays, the greatest cause of disability is Road Traffic Accidents. In 2004, there were 450 mine-related accidents and 26,000 road-accidents.

In 2004, it was estimated that 4.7% of the total population of approximately 14,000,000 was disabled.

Person with disabilities are not received well in the society. They are being amongst the poorest of the poor and most vulnerable, often facing social and economic marginalization and discrimination.To address those issues, the Royal Government of Cambodia is in the process of passing legislation on the rights of person with disabilities that will empower their potential and therefore contribute to the rebuilding of the country.

Development of specific legislation is crucial to the promotion of equality of opportunity. Rights based legislation emerges from the recognition that people with disabilities have the same rights as non-disabled persons.

In addition, to progress the legislation, the government has fully endorsed the UN Convention and its optional protocol on the rights of persons with disabilities in October 1, 2007.Also, it and works with NGOs and other organizations to meet the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action towards Inclusive Barrier Free and Rights-based society for persons with disabilities in Asia and the Pacific 2003-2012.

For people with disabilities to achieve meaningful recognition and their rightful place in Cambodian society, the society itself must provide the platform for it to occur.

The UN Convention, disability legislation and the variety of other international vehicles that have been adopted by the government, while providing important frameworks, will only provide this platform if this is a commitment to implement the necessary activity.

Background

DAC continues to play an important coordinating role, as well as providing necessary information, technical support to its affiliate members. Meeting with, and sectoral support of government ministries are taks of particular importance given the need to aid capacity building and long term sustainability.

Vision statement

Individuals and society understand that people with disabilities have equal rights and obligations to those of all citizens of Cambodia. People with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate fully in society, free from physical, social and economic barriers.

Mission statement

DAC's Mission Statement sets out what it will do to address that Vision: DAC promotes, coordinates and strengthens the capacity of its affiliated members to initiate and secure the rights and services necessary for people with disabilities.

Priorities and objectives

To address its Vision and implement its Mission Statement during 2005 - 2008, DAC has adopted three Priorities and eight objectives, and their associated major activities in which DAC - particularly its Secretariat - will play a lead role, have been identified that will address those priorities during the period. These will be supplemented by a detailed Action Plan setting out tasks to be undertaken, their anticipated outcomes, resources required (including identification of the source of those resources) and timetable.

Priorities:

To develop the social, legislative and educational infrastructure required to meet the needs of people with disabilities, and promoting mainstreaming of disability; To develop the capacity and effectiveness of all institutions operating in the disability sector; To develop the knowledge base of all disability stakeholders in Cambodia.

Objectives:

To establish and implement a National Plan of Action on Disability and Rehabilitation; Legislation to address the needs of people with disabilities is adopted and implemented; To establish a national disability database within MoSVY Priorities, I, and II and III; To coordinate mine victim assistance on behalf of CMAA (Priority II); To develop organizational/institutional capacity with in the DAC Secretariat, within DAC Member organizations and with partner-institutions including Government Ministries Line departments; To develop DAC as Cambodia's disability resource centre; To promote accessibility for people with disability; To promote educational for children with disabilities.

Roles of the DAC secretariat

The DAC Secretariat's role is to facilitate government, national and international agencies, businesses, religious organizations and communities to work together with people with disability. It continues to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a National Plan of Action on Disability and Rehabilitation, building on the SDDR and founded on the guiding principles of the Biwako Millennium Framework 2003-2012.

Vocational Training, Income Generation and Job Placement Committee

This program comprises of all Vocational Training, Income Generation and Job Placement Providers, the government agencies-Ministry of Social Affairs,Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) and Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training (MoLVT), who are working to provide services for people with disabilities in Cambodia.The members and stakeholders meet regularly, to share best practice, and to avoid overlapping of services and to develop a plan of action for the Vocational Training, Income Generation and Job Placement Committee (VTC) in the disability sector.

The Vocational Training, Income Generation and Job Placement Committee was formed to coordinate, to support and to improve the income generation of persons with disabilities and their families and to lead to more productive lives in communities through the quality of skills training and provided jobs.

Main Duties of VTC Committee and its Stakeholders:

• Create a forum to meet and share information and best practice among the vocational training, income generation and job placement operators in Cambodia.
• Share and learn experience from each others.
• Coordinate all issues related to vocational training for with disabilities.
• Contribute to developing an action plan for the sector.
• Coordinate issues related to skill-training providers.
• Coordinate to increase job offer for with dis abilities.
• Facilitate to conduct research on the development of quality curriculum.

VTC Committee Members and stakeholders:

2007 Activities and Achievements:

2007 Graduation and Employment Report

1.The graduated report 2007

Skill/Course Title	Total	Female
Sewing	67	60