Advocacy Strategies Plan of Representative Self-Help Disable Organization Bathay

Title: Promoting professional skill for people with disabilities

Date: 29 January, 2014                  

Duration of strategy: March to December 2014

1. Introduction

Kampong Cham is the third large province in Cambodia, there’re about 1,680,694 people totally. Most people in this province are making a living by farming, and some other businesses. People with disabilities are facing the lack of livelihood condition which is resulted of their voice isn’t heard and their needs are not included in the community investment plan/program. Inaccessibility of information about livelihood opportunity, lack of encouragement of the people with disabilities ‘family, low self-esteem and low self-confident, less job opportunities, limited start-up budget for business have lead the living condition of people with disabilities poor and unstable income. Lack of understanding about the national on the right of persons with disabilities and UNCRPD have made the persons with disabilities’ living condition harder. In conclusion, Empowerment of the right of persons with disabilities in Kampong Cham is better in some cases and areas but most of them are still facing about accessing the livelihood activities which is result of lack of understanding of local authorities on the CPPRD and UNCRPD and more often, persons with disabilities are excluded automatically.

1. Overall Objectives

By improving the understanding of the law on the protection and the promotion of the right of persons with disabilities and the United Nation Convention on the Disability Right to local authorities and related stakeholders, and the advocate with related microfinance institution and vocational training centre; living condition is going to be promoted and improved.

1. Specific Objectives

1. To improve the capacity of local authorities on the law of the protection and the promotion of the right persons with disabilities, the United Nation Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities and the sub-national development concept (CIP, decentralization and de-concentration)
2. To improve the living condition of persons with disabilities by empowering their right, ensuring the livelihood opportunities for people with disabilities, advocating with micro finance institution to provide accessible loan for people with disabilities.

1. Rationale for DPO engagement

RSDOB is a local organization located in Bathay district, Kampong Cham province that has been working on empowering the people with disabilities. We were formed and lead by the people with disabilities and we are the networking organization that has the Commune Disable Resource Person (CDRP), Disable Village Network, Self-hep Groups as the network foundation at commune and village level. RSDOB is the only outstanding organization that has been working to empower the right of people with disabilities and their family.

1. Targets

This short term advocacy project will be targeted in Batheay, Chamkar Leu, Cheung Prey, Prey Chhor, Tboung Khmum District; Kampong Cham province.

1. Power Analysis

In order to integrate the needs of persons with disabilities in the commune investment plan/program, commune councillors need to understand about legal framework of disability movement in Cambodia. Commune councillor is one among other important local authorities who are fully responsible for developing plan, making prioritization, making decision to ensure their plan is inclusive. Private sectors like micro finance institutions and companies are the most important actor who is responsible for providing job opportunities, loan, and start-up business fund to people with disabilities. So, advocating with these institutions to have better policies for people with disabilities is very important.

1. Allies

RSDOB is the network of Cambodia Disabled People Organization (CDPO). Fundamentally, RSDOB is an umbrella organization that has their self-help groups, CDRPs, and DVNs in their target areas. We’re the member of Cambodia Disable People Organization and CIDI network in Cambodia.

Regarding discussion between TIGA II team and RSDOB, there’re many allies that could support our RSDOB in different level as following:

1. National level:

Cambodia Disabled People Organization (CDPO), Cambodia Initiative for Disability Inclusion (CIDI) that organized by Australian Red Cross in Cambodia.

1. Provincial level:

Handicap International (HI), Phnom Srey Association, Nak Akphivat Sahakhom organization, Women Forum Organization, Plan international in Cambodia, សមាគន៍ខ្មែរសច្ចៈធម៍ដើម្បីអភិវឌ្ឍន៍

1. District level:

RSDOB, Focal Person, Commune Disabled Resource Persons (CDRPs), Disable Village Network (DVNs)

1. Commune level:

Focal Person, Commune Disabled Resource Persons (CDRPs), Disable Village Network (DVNs)

1. Messages

1. Nothing about US, Without US!
2. Persons with Disabilities is the strong pillar
3. See ability, Not Disability!
4. Please see our ability, not our disability
5. We have the same right as you.
6. I am disabled but my capacity is able.
7. Economic for All
8. We share the same needs and problems
9. I am disabled but I can do.
10. Together for the state of law
11. Together for the effective implementation of the law on the promotion and the protection of the right of persons with disabilities
12. Together for the effective implementation of the law on the promotion and the protection of the right of persons with disabilities for the State of Law
13. Promoting the right based of Persons with Disabilities
14. I am the same to you
15. We need love and protection!

1. Tools/Actions
• Research

Regarding to Commune Database Online, in 2010, there’s about 1,884,472 persons in Kampong Cham province[1]. This number is equal to 396,141 families and it’s about 80.44% (318,674 families) whose primary occupation is agriculture and it’s only 13.60% (53891 families) of total populations whose main occupation is service.

In detail, there are about 112747 persons in Batheay,122505 persons in Chamkar Leu, 98424 persons in Cheung Prey, 147145 persons in Prey Chhor,  and 196191Tboung Khmum District.

Table 01: total population in Kampong Cham by district

In regarding to TIGA II project team; there are about 878 persons with disabilities in four communes included Bosknor, Beoung Neay, Sdaeng Chey, Srolob commune. In estimation, in each commune within district in Kampong Cham province, there are at least 100 people with disabilities per commune.[2]

Most of people with disabilities’ families are famer and running a very small business at home.

Table 02: Number of PwDs in four target communes of TIGA II project

1. Local authority improvement needs:

-          Training on commune development fund management

-          Commune Investment Plan/Program calendar/cycle

-          Decentralization and De-concentration concept

-          Good Governance concept and Social Accountability tools

-          Inclusive Development Concept

-          Law on the protection and the promotion of the right of persons with disabilities

-          United Nation Convention on the right of persons with disabilities

1. Livelihood improvement for people with disabilities:

As a network DPO, RSDOB should be played role as an advocator, facilitator, and coordinator to advocate, to coordinate with related stakeholders to provide more job opportunities, livelihood skill, grant and loan to people with disabilities in order to improve their living condition much better. The skills required as below:

-          Small business enterprise such as selling foods, and a small shop at home.

-          Agriculture skill such as chicken raising, pig raising, cow raising, vegetable growing

-          Technical skill such as phone repairing, television repairing, motor repairing, computer skill, IT skill

-          Beauty salon skill: Hair dresser, nail dresser

-          Sewing skill

-          English language

-          Handicraft

• Policy Development

In the reference to:

1. The Cambodia law on the protection and the promotion of the right of persons with disabilities, Chapter 5: Public Accessibilities, Chapter 7: Employment and Vocational Training, Chapter 8: Incentives, Chapter 11: Implementation of International Treaties
2. Sub-decree No.108 about Quota of Persons with disabilities in the workplace.
3. United Nation Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and its optional protocol, Article 5: Equality and non-discrimination, Article 9: Accessibility, Article 27: Work and employment.

As a state-party as a signatory and ratification on the UNCRPD, the Royal Government of Cambodia is responsible to ensure the right of persons with disabilities is respected and empowered.

• Lobbying

1. Factsheet preparation and distribute to related stakeholders, service providers, and local authorities
2. Organize community forum or public forum
3. Community Awareness Campaign
4. T-shirt & Booklet
5. Posters and leaflets

• Media

It’s really effective if we can work with some following mass media such as:

-    Radio

-    Television

-    Facebook

-    Community awareness at sub-national level (conducting community forum)

-    Producing TV spot

-    Material producing such as leaflet, T-shirt.

-    Developing spot education/DVD and face to face meeting.

-    Calendar of people with disabilities’pictures

-    Banner, Slogan, Poster, Leaflet, First Aid

• Popular Mobilisation

Regarding to the stakeholder analysis table, there are three kinds of stakeholder involved in this advocacy such as:

1. Supporters:
   1. Commune, district, and provincial councillor: they have skill and budget to support and manage commune investment plans/programs. More, they can help mobilize available resources for people with disabilities. They also can help to promote the law on the protection and the promotion of the right of persons with disabilities and encourage persons with disabilities to join in the CIP process.
   2. National and International Organization: Handicap International has a long successful experience working in empowerment and mainstreaming and is playing role donor and technical supporter which can help to provide technical skill and grant. Plan International and Nak Aphivat Sahakhom organization are working in the target districts by providing livelihood skills and income generation activities to vulnerable group. ADD is specialized in Self Help Group forming which could help every persons with disabilities to work together to form an ally while CDPO is the main network DPO at national level.

RSDOB itself are the main actor who is playing in advocate with related stakeholders to response to the needs of persons with disabilities.

1. Persons with disabilities family:  they’re also the important actor to encourage and provide small financial to persons with disabilities.
2. Community and Private donors: Encouragement, opportunity promoting, financial support and material support.
3. Local authorities, provincial department of planning and investment, provincial department of sub-national administrative, and national police:  technical support on preparing of commune/sangkat district plan, making awareness on the law and the convention, to promote the number of people with disabilities to work as government official and to protect people with disabilities from any abuses.
4. Provincial depart of labour and vocational training: They provide professional training, materials, accommodation, food and start-up grant for the first step business.
5. Microfinance Institution (MFI: Prasak, Amret, Hattakasiko, ACLEDA): they provide loan with accessible interests and also produce more job opportunity for people with disabilities.

1. People who can make or influence the change
2. Persons with disabilities family and community: consultation and encouragement, initiate more opportunities for people with disabilities.
3. Local authorities, commune/district councillors: mobilize the community resources and commune fund. They also integrate people with disabilities development plan into CIP.
4. National and International organization: provide technical and financial support to local authorities and organizations. They also influent in the implementation of the law at the national level.
5. Provincial depart of labour and vocational training: They provide professional training, materials, accommodation, food and start-up grant for the first step business.
6. Microfinance Institution (MFI: Prasak, Amret, Hattakasiko, ACLEDA): they provide loan with accessible interests and also produce more job opportunity for people with disabilities.

1. People who can resist the change
   1. Political supporting involvement: RSDOB is afraid that it might take longer time than usual because of political involvement in the development work
   2. Poor commitment of local authorities
   3. Selfishness

• Funding of others

-             This advocacy campaign can get funding support from Handicap International, Commune Development Fund, and other organization in their local community.

1.  Opportunities and Events
• The International Labour Day: 1st May 2014
• CIP process
• IDDP Day 3rd December 2014
• UNCRPD ratification and signature
• The law on the protection and the promotion on the right of persons with disabilities
• The national strategy plan on disability 2014 – 2018
• Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real” for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific
• As a state party of UNCRPD, Royal Government of Cambodia is required to submit report on disability issue to UN
• Disability issue in Cambodia is focusing and people with disabilities are promoting in participating actively in the inclusive community development.
• UNICEF & AusAID &UNDP have joint proposal on promoting the right of people with disabilities in Cambodia (it might be on April 2014, UNDP will call for proposal and provide small grant to DPOs and NGO)

10.  Human and Financial Resources

Human resources needs:

To achieve this advocacy plan and process, potential staffs from the management level to front-line staffs (field officers) and related stakeholders are needed to involve. At the provincial level management team as well as Governing board will work closely with provincial governor and private sectors like micro finance institution, vocational training centers to mainstream about the law on the protection and the promotion of the right of persons with disabilities and share the needs of people with disabilities’s needs (professional skill). In this context, related stakeholders will understand about the legal framework of people with disabilities in Cambodia and the needs of people with disabilities in their own province.

• In this context, RSDOBsuggest to any donors to keep supporting us both technical, and financial. Those need is included as below:
• Insurance of staffs
• Officer maintenance
• We need an official office and we want to advocate to RGC to provide a location with Right Disable Administrative.
• Technical support (Fundraising, Proposal, Management, Strategy Plan,…)
• We need a real strong commitment in promoting the right of people with disabilities.

11.  Risks

• Lately inform from local authorities
• Government administrative process takes too much time.
• Lack of policies which benefit directly to people with disabilities and it’s difficult to amend their existing policies especially Micro Finance Institution.
• Lack of understanding about the law on the protection and the promotion of the right of persons with disabilities.
• Lack of staffs and limited capacity in RSDOB itself.
• Less of awareness and advocacy materials
• Lack of material for using in BDPO will also affect to the job performance.

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