Cambodia is intensifying efforts to register persons with disabilities (PWD) for identification cards, aiming to enhance social protection and maintain public order. Social affairs officers are actively encouraging PWD, along with beggars and orphans, to register, with approximately three hundred thousand PWD already enrolled to receive social protection benefits. Touch Channy, spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, emphasized that the ministry does not permit PWD, beggars, or the homeless to solicit money in public, citing safety risks and the impact on urban aesthetics.

Since 2023, Cambodia has implemented a sub-decree to standardize disability identification, facilitating access to social services and support programs. Despite these efforts, some individuals continue to beg, particularly in Phnom Penh, due to challenges in gathering everyone at once. Touch Channy noted that maintaining order cannot rely solely on social institutions and requires gradual cooperation with local authorities. To further support disabled individuals, the government plans to launch the National Disability Strategy 2024-2028 on December 3, which includes job opportunities, vocational training, and improved access to public services, ensuring PWD can lead safer and more stable lives.

The National Disability Strategy aims to empower PWD by providing job opportunities, enabling their participation in investment programs, and ensuring accessible facilities in public spaces. By issuing ID cards, the government ensures PWD can easily access social protection benefits, reducing their reliance on begging and improving their overall quality of life. Additionally, the Ministry is promoting vocational skills training as an alternative to begging, demonstrating the government's commitment to supporting vulnerable populations and fostering their integration into society.

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