Branch of CowaterSogema International Inc.(Access Program)

About us

With more than 35 years of experience, Cowater International is Canada’s global leader in management consulting services specializing in international development. Cowater International is managing the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services (ACCESS) Program. ACCESS Program is a five-year (2018-2023) initiative by the Australian Government to improve the sustainability, quality, and inclusiveness of services for persons with disabilities and for women affected by gender-based violence (GBV) in Cambodia.

ACCESS Program reflects Australia’s strong commitment to supporting human rights, gender equality and disability-inclusive development in our region. ACCESS Program works in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to support the implementation of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women (NAPVAW) and the National Disability Strategic Plan (NDSP).

In 2022, ACCESS Program and Disability Action Council Secretariate General (DAC-SG) in collaboration with the Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CCAMH) and the University of Northampton conducted a Situational Analysis for Persons with Autism in Cambodia. This study reports that awareness of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) both within the general population and amongst professionals, as well as leaders of faith-based organizations/religious leaders in Cambodia is limited, which is similar to the other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). With the exception of a few specialist organizations, the defining features of autism are not understood and therefore there is an acutely felt need for developing information education communication (IEC) materials and other tools for awareness raising that uses accepted terminologies on ASD and related conditions to educate the general public as well as professionals.