Disabilities in Cambodia

Cambodia’s recent turbulent history has left a legacy of high numbers

of people with disabilities of all ages and conditions. People with
disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups in the country and
are the least likely to be in school. According to one estimate, the gap
in school participation between people with and without disabilities is
twice as high as the gaps associated with rural residence, wealth, and
gender (World Vision 2007). Even though some disabled people are in
regular schools, few modifications have been made for them and their
number is minute in proportion to overall enrolment. Not only can’t
they get education, both formal and informal, and/or vocational skills
for supporting lives they don’t play many roles in the society.
Afterward, how could they express their voices and ideas to the
society? Hence, what should be done to motivate them to raise their
perceptions in the society as a full citizen?

It is not any individual’s responsibilities – it is everyone’s

responsibilities? First, it’s vital that everyone understand what is called
disability. There is no universally agreed definition of disability
although many experts try to prove evidence of their explanation.
Disablement is usually defined as being unable to use one or more
limbs properly regardless of congenital abnormalities or any incidents,
though. How many people are disabled in Cambodia? The number
and/or percentage of people who are disabled differ from publication to
publication. According to the National Institute of Statistics (2004),
however, approximately 170,000 Cambodians are living with
disabilities according to the last three Socio-Economic Surveys held in
Cambodia. Among them, it is estimated that the number of children
under 18 years old with disabilities in Cambodia was 32,000,

By: IENG Sokhen, MBA@PUC August 2008 PAGE 1

approximately 21% of the total number of disabled people although
the number of disabled people is neither clear nor accurate.

What causes to disabilities? The incidence of landmine related injuries

in Cambodia is still a significant issue for the country with an estimated
40,000 amputees in Cambodia as result of landmine accidents. Whilst
landmines are still a significant problem in Cambodia, road accidents
and illnesses are now the greatest causal factors in the incidence of
disability in Cambodia, the outcomes of which are exacerbated by
poverty and a lack of adequate health and social services.

What are the classifications of people with disabilities? Among disabled

people, the distribution of disability by type is as follows: unable to use
one or more limbs is 22.1%, amputee of one or more limbs 18.2%,
visual impairment 11.5%, permanent disfigurement 10.9%, mentally
disturbed or retarded 7.4%, deafness 4.3%, paralyzed 4%, multiple
disability 2.8%, muteness 2%, deaf-mute 0.7%, and others. With the
same source, the most common causes of disability are illness or
diseases (30%), congenital 24.8%, accident 13%, war or conflict
12.7%, and landmine explosion 8% (National Institute of Statistics
2004.)

What are common so-called problems people with disabilities

encounter? Many a problem has been faced by people with disabilities
in Cambodia. Poverty is one of the biggest problems that people with
disabilities face as they are amongst the most vulnerable groups. They
suffer even more than the general population from limited access to
basic social services. As a result, many people with disabilities are
extremely poor. It, then, comes to discrimination. Not surprisingly,
people with disabilities are usually treated in a poor way which
prevents them from functioning as full member of society. The majority
of the society neglect to abide the equal rights of human beings.

By: IENG Sokhen, MBA@PUC August 2008 PAGE 2

Accessibility is also what people with disabilities have encountered.
Many public buildings, hospitals, and schools have been built with
complete lack of consideration for the needs of disabled people, and
they find it difficult to navigate public thoroughfare due to
obstructions, uneven and unpaved surfaces, steps, and suchlike.
Furthermore, education restricts people with disabilities as well. Since
the education system still has very limited capacities and resources,
particularly in far-flung areas where most disabled people are located,
most people with disabilities are illiterate. More specifically, teachers
and school directors will not allow disabled children to come to school
if they require modifications. In all time, they make an excuse that the
teacher has no time for, or the school cannot afford to provide. Worse
than that, a small number of special centers for people with disabilities
exist. Nonetheless, formal and non-formal education programs
essential for development of children’s capacity and vital means for
empowerment and self-help have been implemented solely by NGOs,
and have focused on children with disabilities. In addition to special
programs for people with disabilities, the Disability Action Council, in
close collaboration with Ministry of Education Youth and Sport, is
coordinating a national policy and responsible for introducing inclusive
education programs for children with disabilities. The last thing that
people with disabilities find difficult is to get employed. Disabilities
people are usually ineligible, excluding some positions in some
organizations, for job vacancies. For instance, one school director
emphatically refused to employ a teacher with disabilities that he knew
that teachers with disabilities are not physically fit, based on the
criteria for selecting teachers, and was afraid that the children would
imitate the teacher.

What should be done to transform disabled people’s lives? Being one

of the most vulnerable groups, persons with disabilities should be

By: IENG Sokhen, MBA@PUC August 2008 PAGE 3

gathered to form a self-help group so that they can help one another.
Furthermore, there should be more special social services for them,
which lead them to show their abilities. It is the government’s
responsibilities to ensure that each building is, for persons with
disabilities, accessible. Since discrimination rooted deeply into the
thoughts of people in Cambodia society, it is hard to change their
mind. Anyway, wrong perception toward disability issues can be
switched provided that the government glorifies the rights of persons
with disabilities. There is many a way that leads to effectiveness of
implementing non-discrimination such as an educating spot
announcement through television, radio or other media, a special
celebration on Disabled People Day, and so forth. Additionally, it is
essential that the government corporate well with NGOs to implement
inclusive education so as to approach Education For All goals which is
the aim of Ministry of Education Youth and Sport has set. Also, besides
disqualifying applicants because of physical and mental disabilities,
employers need to encourage disabled persons to apply and recruit
them unlike the case mentioned above. Last but not least, everyone
needs to value people as equal.

When all is said and done, there would be soon no discrimination and
consisting of equal rights, inclusive education, and job opportunity
should everyone get involved. Hopefully, Cambodian people will live in
peace and prosperity.

By: IENG Sokhen, MBA@PUC August 2008 PAGE 4