The Disability Action Council (DAC), in collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Cambodia, held a training session on access to justice for persons with disabilities.

The October 31 session aimed to bolster the enforcement of laws that protect the rights of impaired individuals.

Legal professionals including judges, deputy prosecutors, court clerks and defence lawyers from Phnom Penh and the provinces of Preah Sihanouk, Kampong Cham and Kampong Speu, participated in the training.

Em Chan Makara, secretary-general of the DAC – which operates under the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation – highlighted the crucial role these professionals play in upholding the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) along with other international and national legal standards.

He stressed the importance of collective action to protect the disabled from exploitation and abuse and to ensure their rights to independence, inclusion in community life and participation in all sectors.

He noted the government’s efforts in safeguarding their mobility, expression, property ownership and financial autonomy, including their right to civil registration and obtaining driving licences.

OHCHR regional representative Roueida Adel El Hage said the training was part of the UN One Project, which aims to enhance the rights of the disabled with the support of UN partnerships.

She emphasised the role of justice in securing happiness and rights, underscoring the importance of the disabled’s participation in legal processes whether they are victims, witnesses or the accused.

The CRPD, ratified by the Kingdom 11 years ago, is instrumental in transforming attitudes and approaches towards the disabled. It continues to inspire a better understanding of their rights and provides robust mechanisms to uphold these rights, according to the OHCHR.