Cambodia on Saturday launched a "Voice of Disabled Persons" radio station, aiming to promote the awareness of the rights of people with disabilities and to broaden opportunities for them in socio-economic development activities, officials said.
Ngin Saoroth, executive director of the Cambodian Disabled People's Organization, said the Phnom Penh-based radio station, the first of its kind in the country, began broadcasting at a frequency of FM 92.25 MHz to cultural Siem Reap province and at a frequency of FM 88.75 MHz to coastal Preah Sihanouk province.
"The radio is to serve people with disabilities, particularly visually impaired people," he said, adding that the station is financially supported by Australia through the United Nations Development Program, and Abilis Foundation of Finland.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the radio would greatly contribute to promoting greater roles of people with disabilities in socio-economic development.
"This radio station belongs to disabled persons in Cambodia, and they can have their say through the radio," he said at the inauguration ceremony.
The government estimated that the country has about 301,629 persons with disabilities, equivalent to 2.06 percent of the total population.