Ongoing field projects by HI, CBM and GTZ

Cambodia

Status of PRSP and disability: The PRS process in Cambodia started in 2000. The "National Strategic Development Plan" (NSDP) is the second PRSP. At the moment, NSDP is in the implementation phase. There are very few disability-relevant sections in this document.

Implementing organisations: Handicap International is working together with a coordination committee called "NSDP Inclusive Committee" consisting of five DPOs: Cambodian Disabled People's Organisation (CDPO), National Centre of Disabled Persons (NCDP), Disability Action Council (DAC), Action on Disability and Development (ADD) and Association of the Blind in Cambodia (ABC). The project activities are funded by the German government via GTZ support Project for Mainstreaming Poverty Reduction.

Contact: Ratha Ken [prspcam-hi[at]everyday.com.kh] (project manager)

On January 18 and 19, 2007, a workshop on "Disability and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)" was organized by the NSDP Inclusive Committee. The workshop involved the key stakeholders of disability and / or PRSP, governmental partners as well as other NGOs. It was the intention of the workshop to provide information and knowledge on the PRS process in Cambodia. The situation of people with disabilities was also addressed and the relationship and importance of the most important stakeholders of this field was discussed. The workshop wanted to encourage the participants to discuss possible solutions and strategies to make the NSDP more disability sensitive.

The most promising opportunity was offered by the NGO Forum, which invited the DPOs to participate in the formulation of statements and recommendations for the Technical Working Groups (responsible for NSDP implementation, monitoring and evaluation) and the Consultative Group meeting. A detailed workshop report is available on request.

As a next step, the NSDP Inclusive Committee will agree on a joint strategy and action plan based on an analysis around PRSP and disability elaborated by the project manager. Afterwards a call for micro grants will be organised, giving Cambodian DPOs and NGOs the opportunity to implement small-scale projects, which support the agreed strategy. Additionally the committee will formulate a joint statement/ recommendation to international donors and the ministries. Furthermore, the committee cooperates with the NGO Forum in order to voice the interest of people with disabilities.

The summary version of the handbook "Making PRSP Inclusive" has been translated into Khmer and shared with the workshop participants.