Despite Government efforts to encourage companies to hire more people with disabilities (PWD), most garment factories in Cambodia are failing to meet the two percent target.

Ath Thorn, president of Cambodia Labour Confederation, said at a breakfast talk on empowering PWD in the garment sector on Friday, that only one in five companies meet 80 percent of the requirements for PWD. He added that many factories do not provide adequate facilities for PWD, such as ramps and accessible bathrooms.

Thorn called for an inclusive policy to improve employment and accessible infrastructure of PWD in garment factories. He said that such a policy should include training for human resources staff to understand the needs of PWD and investing in on-the-job training.

“Despite the fact that there are 1,326 garment factories in Cambodia, most large companies do not pay attention to PWD,” Thorn said.

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“Only one out of five companies meet 80 percent of the requirements for PWD. I have observed that these companies do not implement the principles of supporting PWD, such as providing healthcare and accessibility support, ramps and accessible bathrooms,” he added.

Eurocham's Responsible Business Hub and CARE hosted the breakfast talk on empowering PWD in the garment sector on Friday. Through panel discussions, experts examined how to promote responsible business conduct and sustainability in barrier free environments, highlighting the importance of inclusive recruitment guidelines, recommendations for policies which are best practices in disability inclusion among government, civil society, and private sector actors.

Neuou Sovattha, Country Director of CARE Cambodia, said that disability is a diversity in human beings. The social value of disability is a perception that differs depending on a person's identity and sense of valuation.

In terms of economic value, she gave great support to the private and government sectors in considering the welfare system to fulfill their potential by increasing income equally regardless of disability, which would lessen the burden of supporting compliance.

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“For people with disabilities in the private sector, I think we should create a positive impact on the welfare system to let them expose themselves. Giving everyone the same opportunities as everyone else. When they believe in themselves, they can reduce their social burden and financial independence,” Sovattha said.

Kao Channa, General Manager of Battambang Textile, explained that improving accessible infrastructure is essential to creating a more inclusive workplace for PWD. This will help break down barriers by providing opportunities to build capacity-skills to participate in the workforce and contribute to society.

“Through Textile, we are working together to openly employ PWD from the community by providing them with accessible infrastructure, accommodations, and training to help them build the skills and abilities to meet the job requirements of their capacities,” Channa said.

Touch Gnem, Cambodia Team Lead at Action on Disability and Development, encouraged the private sector's responsibility in providing sustainable support to disabled people. By complying with government regulations and adhering to emerging international standards, businesses can help to create a more inclusive and accessible world for everyone.

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