Supporting action! People with disabilities in the lead
Background
Persons with disabilities in Cambodia continue to face barriers to participation, visibility, and leadership in their communities. To address this gap and strengthen community-based disability inclusion, PAfID launched the Disability Inclusion Promoters (DIP) programme in March 2025. The programme aims to build a network of trained persons with disabilities who can raise awareness, advocate for inclusion and accessible development initiatives, and offer guidance on referrals for services in their local areas.
This initiative reflects PAfID’s commitment to empower persons with disabilities with the skills, knowledge, and tools needed to become agents of change. The programme focuses on practical learning, peer collaboration, and leadership development; equipping participants to promote disability rights and inclusive practices at the grassroots level. The DIPs become active role models to promote people’s action for disability inclusion
What we did
From 24th to 28th March 2025, PAfID organized a five-day interactive training for future Disability Inclusion Promoters. Through hands-on activities, group work, guest presentations, and role play, participants developed key competencies across multiple areas:
- Understanding the legal frameworks protecting disability rights.
- Building skills in disability awareness, inclusive communication, and different models of disability.
- Accessibility guidelines.
- Inclusive language use and social perceptions of disability.
- Inclusion/exclusion lived experiences and core disability inclusion principles.
- Establishing respectful and inclusive learning norms.
- Exploring the role and responsibilities of a DIP.
- Safeguarding and anti-corruption issues
- Inclusive event planning and facilitation techniques using peer-reviewed training sessions.
- Social protection and family support packages.
- Effective advocacy strategies for inclusive change.
- Goal-setting and action planning.
The main responsibilities of a DIP are to:
- Support and mainstream disability inclusion into different sectors across government, civil society, and the private sector.
- Raise awareness on disability inclusion to relevant stakeholders and communities
- Promote accessibility in public places for people with disability through conducting accessibility audits and giving recommendations to duty bearers.
- Work closely with Organizations of People with Disability (OPDs)
- Build relationships with many stakeholders
- Promote the participation of persons with disabilities and their families in meetings/networking, events
- Initiate, mobilize and link persons with disabilities to social protection programs, vocational training, employment and livelihood opportunities.
- Be a role model to other people with disabilities
- Conduct meetings and coaching when needed after training.
- Mobilize people with disabilities and match them to existing livelihood opportunities
Throughout the week, the training was filled with learning, energy, teamwork, and celebration; laying the foundation for a growing network of Disability Inclusion Promoters across Cambodia.
From now on, the participants who have graduated from the training will be given guided supervision to be able to organize events on their own to raise awareness about disability in their commune and provinces. They will be encouraged to work in a peer support style and will be supported by PAfID throughout the process.