The ongoing effort to stop persons with disabilities (PWD), beggars and orphans from seeking alms continues to maintain social order, improve public aesthetics and protect these individuals from the dangers of the street. To date, approximately 300,000 PWD have been registered to receive social protection benefits.
Touch Channy, spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, stated that the ministry does not permit people with disabilities, beggars or the homeless to solicit money in public.
He said social affairs officers are actively working to gather them and encourage them to register for PWD identification cards.
“We are continuously addressing this issue because allowing them to beg on the street poses safety risks, such as accidents when crossing busy roads. It also impacts public order and the appearance of urban areas," he said.
Channy added that these efforts do not involve violence or intimidation. However, he noted that some individuals continue to beg in public, particularly in Phnom Penh.
“Some are still on the streets because it is not possible to gather everyone at once in a city. Maintaining order cannot be the responsibility of social institutions alone. The important thing is that local authorities work together gradually. If we only gather individuals once a day, the issue will persist,” he explained.
In 2023, the government issued a sub-decree outlining mechanisms and procedures for identifying disabilities in line with social norms and fundamental rights. This system aims to standardise data to effectively manage social protection and assistance programmes, enhancing livelihoods, access to social services and development for PWD.
Additionally, the data will help identify target groups for social assistance and social security systems within the broader social protection system.
The system will also provide ID cards to PWD, enabling them to more easily access social protection benefits and other social services, ensuring equity and environmental considerations in line with the government’s policy.
Channy noted that registration for disability identification is ongoing through local authorities to facilitate the issuance of ID cards and access to social protection benefits. He mentioned that while around 300,000 individuals have been registered, the actual number of PWD is likely higher, as some have not yet registered.
“As far as I know, the number may increase further, but overall, I think there are about 300,000 people who have registered for a disability card. There are probably more than that. Some have registered, some have not. If they don’t register, they will miss out on social benefits,” he said.
He also pointed out that those who already have an “ID Poor” card will receive benefits from both the poor card and the disability card.
“So if they qualify for both, they receive quite a lot. The government’s policy is to help people, whether poor or disabled, every month and every year. The government spends millions of dollars to assist them,” he said. “But we already know that even with this help, there are still needs, so they often turn to other means, like begging. We don’t want them to do that, and instead, we encourage vocational skills training as an alternative.”
To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, the ministry plans to launch the National Disability Strategy 2024-2028.
The plan, developed with input from relevant ministries and organisations, includes key indicators such as providing job opportunities for PWD, enabling them to participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of investment programmes and empowering them to join meetings of the Commune Committees for Women and Children (CCWC).
Additionally, the strategy includes provisions for dispute resolution outside of court, access to public services through the One-Window Service Office (OWSO) and the availability of accessible facilities in buildings and public squares.