People with disabilities are entitled to the same freedoms and human rights as everyone else, including the right to access information (UDHR, UNCRPD, 2008). However, many countries, including Cambodia, still do not have laws or measures to provide information in accessible formats to them (Richter et al., 2023). This study examined information accessibility for people with disabilities in Cambodia by analyzing the legal framework, implementation, current accessible information, challenges, and types of future information that people with disabilities need. The study implemented an explanatory sequential design of mixed methods, which weaved the data from the 2021-22 Cambodia Demographic Health Survey (CDHS), mapping review and 61 FGDs, IDIs, and KIIs. In Cambodia, 1 in 4 people over 5 years old is likely to have a disability. This group skews older, female, and rural. The most common types of disability included difficulties in seeing, remembering, and walking/climbing. Education and work opportunities are limited, especially for women with severe disabilities. Their health and quality of life are lower overall. To date, there remains no specific legal framework in Cambodia addressing access to information specifically for persons with disabilities, making it difficult to enforce. Information exists, but formats and support for accessing it are limited. Regardless of the currently accessible information and different access modes, persons with disabilities expressed a demand for information on economics, education, healthcare and more. This information should be tailored to different types of disabilities, trustworthy, translated, clear, simple, and timely.

Authors:
Phoury Bun, Cambodia Development Resource Institute, Cambodia

About the Presenter(s)
Phoury is a Research Fellow at the Cambodia Development Resource Institute. Her research interests include TVET, STEAM, edupreneurship, social psychology of the classroom, and technology, creativity, and critical thinking in education.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoury-bun-22b23311b/

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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