United Nations in Cambodia

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Cambodia:

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Speech

11 November 2021

United Nations Day 2021

Today is United Nations Day – a day to celebrate what the UN stands for. Our enduring commitment to peace, development, and human rights. For all the peoples. There is no other global organization with the legitimacy, convening power and normative impact of the United Nations. Last year, we asked YOU - Cambodian leaders, youth, civil society, about the future you want. In 2020, we listened to more than 1.5 million people in 193 countries. From these conversations, the UN Secretary General presented a plan to respond to today’s problems and the challenges of tomorrow: Our Common Agenda. COVID-19 has taken more than 4 million lives. Poverty, hunger and gender inequality are rising again, after decades of decline. Climate emergency pose extreme risks to human life and to our planet. But times of crisis can also bring out the best — and show what is possible when we work together. In Cambodia, the UN responded immediately to support the government in containing pandemic. Our priorities were clear: save lives and stop transmission of COVID; mitigate the impact on the most vulnerable; and recover better with human rights at its core. Humanity’s very future depends on solidarity, trust, and our ability to work together as a global family to achieve shared goals. That is why Our Common Agenda is, above all, a plan of action, to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind. Our Common Agenda is a renewal of the social contract, anchored in human rights. A focus on the future and young people. Urgent action to protect the environment. The United Nations in Cambodia is for YOU. When we work together, there is no limit to what we can achieve. Happy UN day! Watch video message here.

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Press Release

03 November 2021

Information Note #15: Inequality, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the COVID-19 Response

For the United Nations system in Cambodia, addressing these inequalities requires a human rights economy that invests in people in general and in particular in livelihoods, workplace, social security, family life, participation in cultural life. This includes the need to ensure access to housing, food, water, health care, and education — collectively known as economic, social and cultural rights. The vision and promise of the United Nations in Cambodia are that all human rights belong to all people irrespective of income. Addressing inequality is the UN’s driving force for more social justice, labour rights, and gender representation. It is also a key objective of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Call to Action for Human Rights, which reiterates the urgency of placing human rights at the centre of sustainable development. In close collaboration with the Royal Government of Cambodia, the United Nations has worked towards reducing inequalities and protecting economic, social and cultural rights: To help authorities ensure the Right to Health, the United Nations supports the Ministry of Health and beyond to provide essential health services and facilitate accessibility for all Cambodians, including maternal and child health, immunization services, mental health and psychosocial support. The United Nations supported HIV prevention services and continuously expanded the monthly dispensing of antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV. The United Nations also reached over 8 million social media users to identify health disinformation and published a manual for journalists to address disinformation. For more information see Info Note #14 on Health. To help the Government fulfil its obligation to the Right to Education, the United Nations in Cambodia collaborated with authorities on inclusive distance learning materials for 3.2 million children. Nationwide, the United Nations distributed US$4.2 million to primary and lower secondary schools to meet additional costs in the context of COVID-19. The United Nations is preparing to help bringing all children back to school, helping students catch up on lost learning and supporting teachers to address learning losses and incorporate digital technology into their teaching. For more information see Info Note #10 on Education. About 88.3 per cent of the Cambodian labour market operates in the informal economy, and most of these workers cannot count on access to health care or income security[1]. This limited or unequal access to social protection schemes impacts efforts to reduce poverty and inequality. The United Nations is working with the Government on the Right to Social Security. We are helping the National Social Protection Council to ensure the most vulnerable workers and their families are included into both the contributory and non-contributory social protection system. The United Nations in Cambodia has helped expand social assistance to poor and vulnerable women and children, the elderly and persons with disabilities, and persons living with HIV. A new national disability identification mechanism resulted in the identification of more than 200,000 persons with disabilities eligible for social care and other services. For more information see Info Note #3 on social assistance and Info Note #7 on garment workers. The labour movement has a proud history of fighting inequality and working for the rights and dignity of all. In Cambodia, minimum wage is still limited to the garment, footwear and travel goods and bags sector. The United Nations advocates for Rights at Work by supporting institutions such as the National Council on Minimum Wage where social dialogue between trade unions and employers occurs. The United Nations helped the Government adopt a Policy on Labour Migration for Cambodia. We provided direct assistance to more than 75,000 migrant workers, including to access labour migration information and individualised support services. For more information see Info Note #8 on assisting migrant workers. To help the Government fulfil its obligation to the Right to Adequate Housing, the United Nations in Cambodia developed national guidelines on resettlement. If accepted, they would help authorities to provide a human rights based solution to forced evictions, including remedy, in line with international human rights norms and standards. The United Nations also developed and shared a discussion paper on simplifying the communal land titling process with the Government. Since the pandemic started, 56 indigenous families have been supported in their efforts to submit their claims to communal land titles. To promote the Right to Participate in Cultural Life, the UN supports the to prepare for the protection and maintenance of UNESCO World Heritage sites, practitioners and protectors of the Living Heritage, UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and creative sectors. Cambodia has signed and ratified a number of human rights protocols and conventions, its legal framework is well grounded on its national Constitution to take all possible legal, policy and institutional measures to achieve these rights. The Royal Government of Cambodia is to guarantee the economic, social and cultural rights to everyone, leaving no one behind – the key promise made under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Cambodian people want and deserve social and economic systems that work for them. They want their human rights and fundamental freedoms to be respected at all times and have a say in decisions that affect their lives. The United Nations stands ready to support the Royal Government of Cambodia to create a new social contract that creates equal opportunities for all and respect the rights and freedoms of all, by: Investing in health and public health infrastructure to promote health equity, strengthen public health services and attain universal health coverage. Promoting a gender-sensitive, human rights based and inclusive social protection system addressed to the population who have become poor and marginalised due to the pandemic. Advocating for a sustainable and human rights based economic recovery package to address inequalities, generate employment and revitalise the public sector. Providing support for expanding the Government’s fiscal space to increase development investments to fulfil people’s needs through creating innovative & green financing tools. Providing technical assistance towards a progressive pro-poor tax system. Facilitating access to affordable credit for citizens to make the right investments and overcome challenges. Improving the legislation for an effective protection of property tenure and impose conditions in which evictions may be carried out. ### UN Cambodia’s Response to COVID-19 Information Notes are official documents from the United Nations in Cambodia intended for the media and other partners. They are prepared by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator. [1] ILO calculation based on Cambodia Labour Force Survey 2019

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Press Release

09 December 2021

Launch of the Cambodia Futures Lab

Cambodia Futures Lab is introducing a 6-month learning initiative to co-create pathways for a prosperous, inclusive and innovative Cambodia to bring stakeholders from government, private sector and civil society and the UN to rethink how cross-sectoral issues of social protection, climate change and digital transformation can be taken into consideration in policy solutions. How can diverse stakeholders reimagine together more sustainable futures? How can leadership, innovation and learning help reshape Cambodia’s development pathways to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development? “To ensure that our policies reach the farthest and the most marginalized, our responses should be collectively designed and driven by government, business, civil society and development partners. Our first step is Cambodia Futures Lab to promote policy integration, especially in social protection and ensure no one is left behind.” said His Excellency, Boros Samheng, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation. “We commit to multilateralism in the 21st century, where the UN can provide a platform, such as the Cambodia Futures Lab, to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration, nurture innovation and generate solutions necessary to accelerate achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development," said Pauline Tamesis, the UN Resident Coordinator in Cambodia The opening remarks included a presentation by Prof. Otto Scharmer from MIT/Presencing Institute, the author of the “Theory U: Leading from the Future as it Emerges”, the concept is known to describe the fundamental mindset shift from ego to eco and from siloed to networked institutions to address the complex challenges of sustainable development. Participants discussed the key elements of systems thinking, collective intention building and systems sensing exercises as a cornerstone for advancing sustainable development in Cambodia. For media inquiries, please contact: Ms. Sreysros Keo, Programme Communication and Advocacy Officer of the UN Resident Coordinator Office Tel: +855 11 88 57 66, E-mail: sreysros.keo@un.org Mr. Chhour Sopannha, Head of Social Assistant Sub-Committee Secretariat, Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation Tel: +855 12 53 81 18, Email : chhoursopannha@yahoo.com

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Speech

08 December 2021

Workshop on Sharing Experience and Dissemination of a Smart City Concept for Sihanoukville

It is a privilege to deliver welcome remarks in person at today’s Workshop on Sharing Experience and Dissemination of a Smart City Concept for Sihanoukville. This event is a culminating activity of the UN joint programme, ‘Sihanoukville for All: Promoting a Smart, Sustainable, and Inclusive City” organized by the United Nations in Cambodia and the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Office. Thank you H.E. Sor Vorin, Deputy Director-General of General Department of Administration, Ministry of Interior, H.E. Kong Vitanak, Deputy-Governor of Preah Sihanouk Province and Chair of the Sihanoukville Smart City Working Group and all distinguished participants from Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, and the members of the Smart City Working Group for your time and engagement. Our work on smart and inclusive city in Sihanoukville is made possible by the UN Human Security Trust Fund. We are grateful for their support. It complements initiatives and projects already implemented in Sihanoukville by other UN agencies, not the least, UNICEF on child protection and child-friendly support, UNDP on payment ecosystem services and tackling maritime plastic litter projects. Addressing you today, I recall the UN Country Team’s visit and meeting with H.E Kuoch Chamroeun, Governor of Preah Sihanouk Province, two years ago around the same time late November 2019. At that time, we discussed a range of issues, including urbanization, economic growth and inclusive development. As the result of that discussion, we have developed a shared understanding and a common vision for a smart, sustainable and inclusive city concept for Sihanoukville. What have we learned since that initial meeting and in the activities, we implemented under the joint programme? Our starting point is the joint aspiration for the implementation of the smart city concept in Sihanoukville is grounded on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the achievement of the SDGs. While Sustainable Development Goal 11: “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” is the most directly related to the concept of a smart city; other goals and targets related to poverty (SDG 1), hunger (SDG 2), health (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), inequality (SDG 10), water (SDG 6 & 14), climate change (SDG 13) and land (SDG 15), must also be integrated in the smart city framework. Linking the smart city project to the SDGs alone is also not enough. No city can be considered ‘smart’ if it ignores the interests of poor, marginalized and vulnerable groups and communities. To be a real smart city, Sihanoukville must conform to city master plans and incorporate international standards and guidelines related to housing, sustainable development, environmental protection, disaster prepardness, forced evictions and displacement. It means adopting an inclusive and sustainable approach to development; ensuring the right to participation and information, such as the representation of city residents in monitoring mechanisms; promoting gender equality; and respecting human rights, particularly those related to land and housing for everyone. A smart, sustainable and inclusive city integrates a human security approach, a programme framework that addresses Sihanoukville and its people’s needs. The development of a Sustainable, Inclusive, Smart City Concept for Sihanoukville implements the guiding principle “Leaving no one behind.” How? By promoting a novel alliance between citizens and local authorities, encouraging citizens participation and improving the local governance through the smart city approach and tools. Centering attention on people, applying the human rights lens, and focusing on the specific needs of women, girls and youth drive the design and implementation roadmap of the Smart City Strategy in Sihanoukville. In terms of implementation, there are at least three points of reflection I wanted to share with you: Importance of forming a ‘smart city working group’, which is composed of different stakeholders and enables engagement throughout the process. The engagement of national and local stakeholders, in turn, promotes ownership, leadership and cooperation. Through multi-stakeholder consultations, an inclusive assessment process can be facilitated. The consultations also allow deepening understanding of the ‘human security approach’ and ‘leaving no one behind’ principle. I quote Kofi Annan, former UN Secretaty General, who said, “there is no peace without development, there is no development without peace, there is no peace and development without human rights.” Our commitment is to help government fulfill its obligation of providing space for civic participation and reducing social exclusion as well as poverty. With this commitment, we can accelerate the drive towards a smart, sustainable and inclusive Sihanoukville. As we all know, Cambodia will be the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022. I think there will be more opportunities for engagement and cooperation within ASEAN framework on smart city initiatives and projects. As I am aware, Phnom Penh, Battambang and Siem Reap cities have been members of the ASEAN Smart City Network, whereas Sihanoukville has also applied for membership. I see the coordination role of the Ministry of Interior as the Chair of the national Steering Committee of Smart Cities is crucial in setting out national smart city policy/strategy to be implemented in Cambodia and in supporting regional ASEAN smart city network. With the request from the Ministry of Interior for the UN’s technical cooperation and support, we have reached out to various partners within the UN system – the country team, the UN Human Security Trust Fund and ESCAP and development partners and it is still under ongoing discussions. During the dinner yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet and learn from various participants on their smart city initiatives and projects. I think these ideas are useful for us to follow up and link with lessons from various consultative processes in Sihanoukville, and consequently support development of smart city policy framework at national level. I see the opportunity for all of us to revisit development pathways to build forward better from the pandemic and to truly keep people and planet at the center of recovery efforts. Given this, my hope is that this two-day workshop moves the discussions forward and solicits inputs for the Ministry of Interior and municipalities from Phnom Penh, Battambang, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. In closing, I reiterate the UN’s appreciation of the strong cooperation at both the national level and provincial levels. The Smart City Assessment and Concept reports that we have worked together, will be aspirational for Phnom Penh, Battambang, Siem Reap and Preah Sihanouk provinces, and instrumental for the Royal Government for the development a national smart city policy framework. Once again I convey our sincere thanks and gratitude to Provincial Governor H.E. Kuoch Chamroeun. We look forward to our continued collaboration. Thank you.

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Speech

08 December 2021

Cambodia and the fourth Industrial Revolution workshop

H.E. Mr. Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister, MISTI H.E. Vongsey Vissoth, Delegate Minister attached to Prime Minister and Permanent Secretary of State, MEF or H.E. Kong Mary, Under Secretary of State Mr. Anthony Robert Gill, Acting Country Director, ADB Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s an honor to welcome you to the fourth Industrial Revolution workshop, which is taking place virtually. Two years ago, we would not have been able to get all of us together on zoom for example. I still recall our initial discussions at the Raffles Hotel when we talked about IR4.0 almost in the abstract, a phenomenon that is yet to happen. Suffice to say, the world is shifting from analog to digital faster than ever before. A technological revolution that fundamentally alters the way we live, work, and relate to one another. While the digital era has brought society many incredible benefits, we also face many challenges such as growing digital divides, cyber threats, and human rights violations online. Half of humanity – in particular women and girls in developing countries and vulnerable populations – don’t have access to the Internet. For a manufacturing country as Cambodia the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution – with the changes envisaged in terms of automation, robotization, and digitalization – needs to be handled carefully. The 4th Industrial Revolution can certainly yield benefits and positive change in terms of productivity and environmental impact, but could also affect the labor force, notably the weakest sectors of society. The COVID-19 crisis and the related lockdown measures have affected production and social relationships worldwide, and Cambodia makes no exception. The analyses conducted by both ADB and UNIDO have assessed the impact of the pandemic on the economy, and on specific key sectors, such as garment, highlighting how those measures have also spurred digital readiness in the country. The Government is facilitating readiness through specific policy measures, notably through the Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework. This is a promising building block to address the key challenges of the 4th Industrial Revolution. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity for digital transformation. Fully remote workforces; Digital Business; Virtual conferences; New technologies in manufacturing; Innovation to accelerate the SDGs… and more. How can we ensure that the unfolding technological transformations in Cambodia are leveraged in ways that leave no one behind? Will our society become more equal or less equal? Will we become more, or less, secure and safe? Will our dignity and rights be enhanced or diminished? The answers to these questions depend on our ability to work together across disciplines and actors, across nations and political divides. The impact of the 4th Industrial Revolution at large must be no doubt be harnessed, while at the same time further assessed, and the government’s efforts supported. The UN system is already engaged with the Government on this transition. Drawing on expertise in the UN Country Team, through UNIDO as specialized agency, together with UN entities operating in the country, such as UNDP, FAO, WHO, UNESCO, ILO, UNICEF; and also leveraging UN expertise based outside of Cambodia such as the ITU and the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries. Last year, the UN Secretary General presented a Roadmap for Digital Cooperation to build a more open, free, diverse and safe digital future for all. A future that will empower individuals and accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. One of the 8 key areas is digital capacity building. One immediate field to be addressed in Cambodia is skills. It is clear that (re-) training a large number of workers will remain essential as we move forward. In this sense, the good examples, success stories and best practices implementing in other countries are a good building block for Cambodia’s MSMEs. It is on this note that I close -- More than ever, technology brings people together. Let us unlock its promise to shape a safer, more sustainable and inclusive world. Thank you.

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Story

15 September 2021

Empowering Women in Industrial Development in Cambodia: Phearom’s Journey

“I want to tell other women, be confident in yourself, believe in what you do, persevere and, speak up, speak up, and speak up. Not only men but also women, like my case, are able to influence the process and redirect the orientation of the industrial policy that can potentially steer the development of Cambodia to a more prosperous future.” Phearom is an energetic woman with promising prospects, who has actively engaged in the UNIDO capacity building programme since May 2019. Phearom is a coordinator and team leader of a task force, responsible for collecting and consolidating the Report Template Format (RTF) and evaluating the implementation of policy measures. She is also a member of a recommendation task force for improved implementation of Industrial Development Policy (IDP) measures. Before working for the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), Phearom was a facilitator for the project “The Courageous Turtle” which aimed at bridging the past with the present. She was hoping to help connect the old generation with the new generation and extend the impact of the project to the whole of Cambodian society from the grassroots level. In 2017, Phearom applied to work at the CDC, which was tasked by the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to oversee the implementation plans of the IDP and address any challenges in the industrial sector. “I was first tasked to prepare, consolidate, and analyze the first report of the progress of the IDP implementation with a team of young and dynamic people. When UNIDO Cambodia provided technical support based on RGC’s request to CDC in developing the M&E system and conducting a mid-term review of the IDP, seeing my potential, my supervisor assigned me to present the M&E system set up under IDP to UNIDO experts. In addition, I was assigned as CDC communication focal point, and thus have been handling communication with UNIDO Cambodia ever since,” said Phearom. In 2020, the M&E system for IDP was remarkably and successfully developed by the IDP secretariat including Phearom, with intensive support from UNIDO. “Being assigned as a team leader of one of the main task forces in preparing IDP mid-term review, I feel honoured and empowered. I am grateful to be supervised by good leaders who do not overlook women’s potentials and talents. It shows that empowering women indeed requires contribution from everyone, particularly our male counterparts and stakeholders.” “This UNIDO programme has taught me a lot, I went from being M&E illiterate to an M&E advocate. Since the programme, I have come to believe that all policies need an M&E system in place. Even simple tasks in our everyday lives need M&E one way or another to see whether the plan that we have put forth is going accordingly or not, though not necessarily as intense as the system that I have been working on.” What makes Phearom succeed in her task? “Perseverance and teamwork are key principles that have always guided me through my professional career.” “The spirit of teamwork will allow me and my team to go fast and far together.” However, behind Phearom’s ongoing good progress in her assigned tasks toward the quality mid-term review report of the IDP, lay key challenges. Some barriers have obstructed her work at the policy level. “I’ve experienced a few stereotype issues, 1)women are often viewed as unwomanly or bossy when they speak up about ideas or assert themselves at any point. That is why women prefer keeping quiet in meetings or discussions rather than speaking up because they may feel like their ideas may be judged or misinterpreted. 2)administrative responsibilities are particularly tasked to women as it is presumed to be a woman’s job.” These perceptions must be tackled in a timely manner because they will potentially kill the confidence of women, especially young women who have just started their careers in this area. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the routine is being replaced by virtual communications and countless virtual meetings which have proved to be difficult for everyone. “It was difficult for me at first, as working from home and virtual meetings could feature distractions and lead to low productivity. However, I’ve adapted to the new normal and continue to be efficient and result-oriented.” Hence, Phearom strongly encourages men and women to engage in policy-level tasks. "I personally believe that EVERYONE - both men and women deserve a chance to showcase their abilities. However, the painful reality is that women must make twice or thrice the efforts of men." “I think the government and donors should further strengthen the education and health system in Cambodia to ensure that everyone can equally receive that.” “At the institutional level, it is crucial to raise awareness by creating training or workshops on gender equality at the workplace to inform those in power positions to effect policy changes and reduce gender stereotypes.” Learn more about UNIDO’s support to Cambodia’s Industrial Development Policy (IDP) KHMER | ENGLISH

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Story

03 June 2021

COVID-19 support through take-home rations: The story of a school cook

The school suspension in mid-March unexpectedly interrupted the job he loves. While he does not have to get up early to prepare breakfast for the children anymore, he feels that something is missing. “Schools are very quiet compared to before. I miss the sound of the kids playing in the school compound; I miss the cooking and the vegetable preparation,” said Uncle Nang, as he showed off his kitchen facilities and school garden. Since the closure of schools, Uncle Nang has also lost a part of his livelihood. His regular incentive of 30 to 40 kilograms of rice each month from the community to compensate for his volunteer time, and his $10.25 monthly salary from the commune council has also stopped. After providing an initial take-home ration to scholarship students and their families in March, the UN and MoEYS realized that they neglected to support school cooks, who, although not direct beneficiaries, are the backbone of the school meals programme and are often poor themselves. The June distribution was improved to include all 2,109 school cooks from 1,113 primary schools in 10 provinces participating in the school meals programme. Holding an IDPoor registration card, Uncle Nang and his family received two rations of 30 kilograms of rice and 2 litres of vegetable oil as a way to help ends meet in the absence of other income. “I want to thank the donors who also thought of us. Besides cooking for the school, I also cook for Buddhist festivals and wedding ceremonies. COVID-19 means that not many people are getting married nor initiating any festivals. This has all impacted me, and these rations will help my family for a while,” said Uncle Nang as he pointed to the two rice bags and the oil bottles he received. “But I want nothing more than to see schools re-open and to resume cooking for the kids,” he said. Uncle Nang is ready to get back to school and continue his contribution to school meals as soon as possible.

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Story

28 May 2021

The young Cambodian peacekeeper inspiring change: Paving the road to lasting peace amidst the pandemic

In South Sudan, Imam Malyko, a 29-year-old Cambodian peacekeeper, is among 70 Cambodian peacekeepers going the extra mile every day to protect civilians from both the conflict and the pandemic. Even when COVID-19 surged in South Sudan, the peace operation mission for Sudan continues. As the Cambodian UN Police, their roles include enforcing the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) traffic regulations, ensuring law and order among civilians and military, acting as police personnel, and conducting accident investigations. In this unprecedented time, the Cambodian UN Police work also involves promoting COVID-19 health and safety measures. Now Malyko and her fellow peacekeepers are at the front-line of two major calamities: a conflic zone and the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite dealing with stress resulting from the pandemic, Malyko and her team are resilient enough to adapt to the new normal, and she has never lost her nerve. Malyko explained there are many challenges, especially amidst the pandemic, that female peacekeepers like her have to embrace. “In Cambodia, there is a mindset that women have to stay at home and must do household chores and have to be obedient daughters. But when I am here in South Sudan, I have my responsibility, I work under the sun where the weather is almost 40°C. But when we love the job, we do it with love,” Malyko said confidently. Against all odds, Malyko joined the National Peacekeeper Center as a soldier in 2010. Her friends and relatives told her that peacekeeping is dangerous for a woman like her and that she would not go far in this career path. Even though none of her family members were soldiers, her parents were very supportive. They encouraged her to be brave and move forward with her goal. She joined the Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan in 2017. “In South Sudan, we are a small unit, having only 70 personnel. But as part of the UN Charter, everyone recognizes us. We have good interactions and good communications with other personnel. We love and we are very proud of our work,” Malyko added. “I would like to share a message to women in my country [Cambodia]. I want to see more Cambodian females join the peacekeeping missions. I want to see more women working in higher positions. I want to tell all fellow women that we can do more than we ever think. One day you will realize that you are doing something beyond just for yourself but you do it for others. When you help other people, that makes you feel like you are born to help other people. That’s the meaning of life,” she added. The involvement of youth and women is essential for peace, security and human rights. Malyko emphasised that peace is fundemental to every society, that to her peace means waking up to have food, to feeling secure, and to not having to move to a different place to feel safe. As someone passionate about helping other people, Malyko has been involved in a number of charity activities since a young age, including acting as a translator for an international de-mining team when they cleared mines from the land close to her hometown. Malyko felt inspired and wanted to become like them. “To acquire peace, young people have to have access to quality education and respect diversity,” said Malyko. Promoting young people involved in peacebuilding is key to achieving long-term peace and promote human rights. From peacekeepers to volunteer work in society, young people help bring together new ideas and innovation in the mission they serve and the society that they live in. Just like Malyko dreamed of becoming a peacekeeper and helping her society achieve peace, the seed was planted since she was young. Even though women’s involvement in peacebuilding work has risen, more needs to be done. Women are often overlooked, but they are undoubtedly the most effective agents to bring lasting peace in peace operation missions. Malyko, too, believes that her work as a female peacekeeper has brought important change to the communities that she serve—by setting examples for women and girls to advocate for their own rights. “People are very happy to see women in uniform because they usually only see men. Every time I visit the community, women always come and interact with me, they say they want their children to grow up to become a peacekeeper like myself,” said Malyko. As we mark International Peacekeeping Day, Malyko and other young peacekeepers play an important role in bringing new ideas and innovations to peacekeeping efforts, which is more critical than ever in light of the pandemic. They are paving the way forward to peace, and for other young people to participate in building their future world. As of March 2021, Cambodia is the 27th largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. It currently deploys 767 peacekeepers, 95 are women, to the UN peace operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Lebanon, Mali, Sudan, and South Sudan.

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22 April 2021

Leading the way in solar green energy: Thida’s journey

In 2004, Thida started working for a private solar company. She gradually became very interested in the field and fell in love with her work. “I saw the benefits that solar energy can offer; help local people in saving time and budget and having electricity for their children,” Thida said. Thida ran the Renewable Energy Development Association from 2008 until 2013. The association was converted into a company called Solar Green Energy Cambodia (SOGE). This is a home-based manufacturer of solar systems. Buyers can purchase a system on credit if they cannot cover the full amount of upfront costs, while rental contracts are also available. Thida is very ambitious with her business. “We want to combine renewable energy with modern technology to support the agriculture sector in Cambodia.” Thida’s company focuses on client satisfaction and after-sales service. The key piece of advice she has for other women is that “…. doing business with honesty and responsibility (good service after sales) made our company successful to date”. Behind Thida’s success is a lot of hardship, as she had very little finance in the beginning. “I had little money when I started this business with my husband,” she said. “Our approach started off with just selling our ideas to customers and if they ordered, we had to borrow money with high-interest rates in order to start developing the products for our clients.” There are many other barriers that hinder Thida and other women from participating and working in the green industry. “I believe that more women are interested in this renewable energy sector just like myself, but they have limited knowledge and interest in doing proper research on it,” said Thida. Due to COVID-19, her company’s sales have dropped about 70 per cent, but this has not demotivated her. During this time, Thida has been working hard trying to adjust her company’s internal management. “I see this time as an opportunity. I take this opportunity to provide more training to my employees while sales are down. I strengthened our R&D activities and developed and tested new products.” There are currently increasing opportunities in this sector and in the green industry. New technology and greening the environment are key business concepts. Thida has a vision for women and the green industry in Cambodia. “I want to see more women engaged and represented in technology and green industry. I want to raise more awareness about ecological issues in Cambodia, to help other people engage in more sustainable behaviour, and increase knowledge and R&D together in renewable energy,” said Thida. Although solar energy systems have been available in Cambodia for some time, people are reluctant to trust them. “I want women to think that green industry is not just the responsibility of men, but it is for everyone.” Thida said she used to experience limited exposure, networking and advice from others. But these days there are more opportunities to support women who want to take part in the green industry. “All we need is commitment, responsibility and honesty.” Thida requested the government and donors to continue supporting women’s empowerment in the green industry, creating a more enabling environment and opportunities for women. Thida joined the UN programme, ‘Economic Empowerment for Women in Green Industry’. Through this programme, she received a series of training on gender mainstreaming in green industries.

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06 March 2021

Returning Migrants: new hope, new opportunity while claiming back the time

NEW HOPE Pisey Soeun’s house is in a quiet village of Dombok Bon village in Along Vil commune, Sangke district, located approximately 20 kilometers from Battambang, in northwestern Cambodia. Most of the villagers have migrated to Thailand to work as construction workers, day labourers, vegetable vendors, and factory workers. As other villagers were suspicious Pisy’s family might bring COVID-19 to their community, the family moved to her parents’ house several kilometres away to look after her chickens. Pisey and her husband Bora returned from Thailand in May 2020 to be reunited with their two small children they had left behind with her sister. Pisey’s husband managed to find a job as a day labourer in Battambang, providing a small income for his family, but not sufficient to pay their bills on time and buy enough food. With no employment prospects, Pisy was excited to be accepted on the socio-economic reintegration program to start raising chickens to generate income for her family. However, to her surprise, she learnt that not everyone in her village was comfortable with her return. The villagers openly accused the family of bringing COVID-19 into their community. One of her relatives, posted information on Facebook unfairly accusing Pisy of escaping from a quarantine centre after arriving in Cambodia. After this, the health care centre staff and police repeatedly visited Pisey’s house to check on her health. Even after the local authorities intervened, the community remained suspicious. “People in my village chased me out whenever I went to buy food in a local store, including even the owner, while others didn’t dare to walk in front of my house,” said Pisey. “That’s why we decided to move out temporarily from my village to live with my parents where people didn’t know us,” she continued. Before returning to Cambodia, Pisy spent two years in Thailand with her husband working at construction sites. She missed her two small children. The family never registered with the IDPoor program, as they were absent when the local authority conducted an assessment of poor families in her village. Not having the IDPoor card meant that the family couldn’t access the COVID-19 cash transfer system upon their return. “I was so glad when I got selected to participate in the reintegration program, as I wanted to use the grant to start my small business directly in my house and be able to support my family with an extra income. My plan is to stay in Cambodia and focus on my children and their education.’’ After attending a three-day chicken raising training, Pisey received 25 chickens to get her business started. In January 2021, she sold around 12 kilograms of chicken (13,000 Riel per kilogram) and invested her money in buying five more hens. Pisey now looks into the future with optimism: “I plan to sell more chickens before the Khmer New Year and expand my business. The support I received from this program has not only provided me with extra income but also gave me the hope I needed after losing my job in Thailand and returning back home.’’ PURSUING OPPORTUNITY February 2021 was a tough month for Mrs. Sim – she hardly earned any income from her cake selling business and lost some of her savings too. Soy is a traditional Khmer cake seller and has been running her business in the Kamrieng district, on the border with Thailand, where her customers were daily workers who crossed the border to work in Thailand. When strict border management measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were implemented in February 2021, following an outbreak in Thailand, many of daily workers moved to towns and other areas away from the border, and Soy’s source of income dried up. It was time to move again. “After the border between Cambodia and Thailand was closed completely in early February, my income decreased from one day to another,” said Soy. Before selling cakes, Soy and her family used to migrate to Thailand to work, pushed by their increasing debt and struggling to make a living from their land in Cambodia. When Soy’s health deteriorated, having spent her savings on paying off the brokers and her debt, she decided to return to Cambodia and start her own business. Her eldest son returned from Thailand in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis, and this prompted her to participate in the socio-economic reintegration program (see below). The grant from the program allowed her to buy a hand cart and materials to build a cake selling store. The training she received under the program, helped her manage the financial side of her business. At first, she could earn between 40,000 Riel and 50,000 Riel (USD 10-12) per day by selling cakes in front of the Tran Health Centre and by pulling the hand cart around the village to sell in the afternoon. She was also able to save 5,000 to 10,000 Riel (USD 1.20 -2.45) per day for emergency expenses, after covering the family’s basic needs. Eventually, Soy’s mother, who lives in Phnom Penh encouraged to move to the capital to sell cakes outside a garment factory. Soy now rents a small room in Phnom Pehn with her 14-year-old daughter, who dropped out of school last year. “Two days after arriving in Phnom Penh, I can earn around 20,000 to 30,000 Riel (USD 5-7) per day after my expenses,” she said. “I will go back to my hometown when local authorities re-open the border because I want to live with my family and life is cheaper there than in the capital.” CLAIMING BACK THE TIME When Mrs Sam returned to Cambodia last year, she was mostly happy to be able to see her children again. She has four children with the eldest only 12 years old. Chanleng and her husband worked in Thailand for five years and returned due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As a labourer, she could earn 20,000-30,000 Riel (USD 5-7) per day cutting grass or collecting corn in Thailand, while her husband traded goods at the Doung border checkpoint. In the past, they even migrated to Thailand’s northern Chiang Mai province in search of better earnings, which never materialized forcing the couple to return to work in the border areas. Whilst working in Thailand, the couple’s young children stayed with their grandmother, who covered their expenses which Chanleng had to settle upon her return. Struggling with a debt of over USD 600, Chanleng saw her chance of generating income for her family by participating in the socio-economic reintegration program (see below). Thanks to the program, Chanleng took part in a three-day training on how to raise chickens. Provided with 10 hens, cage materials and feed, Chanleng started her business on her parents’ farmland. Between October 2020 and January 2021, she sold 40 kilograms of chicken at 15,000 Riel (USD 3.5) per kilogram. With the earnings, she invested back in her business to buy another 20 chickens, bought clothes and study materials for her children, and also kept some money aside for emergency expenses. “I plan to keep expanding my chicken raising business. As the border between Cambodia and Thailand was closed off completely after the COVID-19 outbreak at Thailand and my husband lost his job, my family therefore depends on my success.” Chanleng also sees this as an opportunity to claim back the time she lost by being away from her children. “I never had time to live with and take care of all my four children because I always worked in Thailand and left my children to live with my parents.” She enjoys looking after them now, helping them with homework and growing some vegetables around the house for them. “The support from the program not only provided me with hope to look into the future but also a means to generate income for my family. For me, what’s most important is that it has given me the time to be with my children.” About the project The socio-economic reintegration program is one of the interventions under the UN Joint Programme to Support Returning Migrants in response to the COVID-19 crisis and its impacts. The programme was funded by UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) which run in three provinces between June and December 2020. The participating agencies are WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and IOM.

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Press Release

24 November 2021

Cambodia Futures Lab: Partnership between the UN Resident Coordinator Office and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Youth and Veterans Rehabilitation

The Cambodia Futures Lab is a 6-month process whereby leaders from government, civil society, private sector and UN agencies embark on a collective leadership and learning journey on systems transformation in the recovery from COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia. The objectives of the Cambodia Futures Lab are: To strengthen leadership, strategic foresight and systems thinking capabilities of leaders across sectors. To create opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and experimentation among leaders in government, private sector, and civil society in post-Covid pandemic recovery. The Cambodia Futures Lab will offer a platform to define what type of systems transformation can be applied with innovation and strategic foresight into the COVID recovery efforts and accelerate the 2030 Agenda. The joint platform enable engagement with national stakeholders to shape inclusive and sustainable futures for Cambodia. The Cambodia Futures Lab is jointly organized by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation, the United Nations in Cambodia, together with the Ministry of Civil Service, the Royal School of Administration, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Khmer Enterprise, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Council on Social Protection and in partnership with the Presencing Institute, the United in Diversity Foundation. For media inquiries, please contact: Ms. Sreysros Keo, Programme Communication and Advocacy Officer of the UN Resident Coordinator Office, Tel: +855 11 88 57 66, E-mail: sreysros.keo@un.org Mr. Chhour Sopannha, Head of Social Assistant Sub-Committee Secretariat, Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation Tel: +855 12 53 81 18, Email : chhoursopannha@yahoo.com

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Press Release

13 October 2021

Information Note #14: Health and COVID-19 Response

The pandemic in Cambodia has disrupted all aspects of society, including the physical, mental, and social well-being of its communities. More than 115,335 cases and 2,544 deaths have been reported. The challenges responding to the pandemic are similar across countries: increasingly transmissible variants; transmission among young, healthy, mobile adults that make the virus difficult to detect and contain; challenges in full compliance with effective public health and social measures, pandemic fatigue; vaccine optimism. These challenges, however, have also brought opportunities to the Cambodian health system and beyond, and the investments in these opportunities will ripple for years to come. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) is taking the opportunity to work for the future by investing in the health security system to ensure both a stronger response and a more prepared, resilient system. The United Nations commends RGC commitments to promote public health and has supported it throughout the pandemic with policy advice, technical cooperation in line with the WHO technical guidelines, coordination of partners and agencies, training and procurements. Below are some examples. To improve early detection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, working partners, the United Nations has supported the Ministry of Health (MOH) to expand laboratory diagnostic capacity with technical advice, testing strategies, training, and procurement (more than USD$2 million). By September 2021, 12 laboratories could test 12,000 samples per day, compared with one laboratory and 500 samples per day in February 2020. The National Institute for Public Health now conducts whole-genome sequencing for SARS-CoV-2, in addition to Institute Pasteur du Cambodge. These investments will advance the country’s ability to detect new variants of SARS-CoV-2 and other novel pathogens that may emerge. The United Nations with development partners supported MOH to strengthen local capacity for detecting transmission in the field, assessing risk, and responding to outbreaks. Approximately 3,000 Rapid Response Team (RRT) members were trained in 2020 on COVID-19, almost two dozen came from their provinces to the national contact tracing team in February–July 2021 to support the response and participate in four-to-six-week on-the-job training at the Communicable Disease Control Department (MOH). These trained RRT members now serve as contact tracing and surveillance leads in their provinces. As RGC rapidly expanded treatment facilities throughout the country, including large regional centres, United Nations Cambodia procured critical supplies, such as PPE (USD 1.8 million) and essential medicines and equipment for oxygen support (USD 820,000) to aid that expansion. In addition, it assisted capacity-building efforts for frontline healthcare workers, including critical care providers, in clinical management and Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) measures. The United Nations with MOH brought national clinicians together through regular virtual calls for experience sharing, which leveraged the experience that local clinicians gained managing COVID-19 early in the epidemic to prepare those who had not yet faced it. The United Nations joined RGC in its embracing of community engagement as an essential approach to facing COVID-19. In May and June 2021, the joint MOH-WHO missions facilitated dialogue sessions with provincial health directors and provincial governors to learn about their experiences fighting COVID-19, identify success stories and adjust response plans. The findings led to modified non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and a national campaign to empower families and communities to make decisions that protect lives and livelihoods. The UN also has trained and supported community members, Village Health Support Groups and village leaders across rural and vulnerable migrant communities to raise awareness of COVID-19 preventive measures in their communities, including promoting the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination, contributing to reducing the risk of community transmission. Although efforts have focused on COVID-19, the United Nations has also worked alongside national partners and communities to ensure that essential and basic health services for all are not disrupted. Support for the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STD to adopt and expand innovative and agile approaches to minimize the disruption of needed services for people living with HIV and key populations community. Disruption of treatment services for people living with HIV has remained at less than 10% compared to the pre-pandemic period. Childhood vaccination coverage nationally for non-COVID vaccines have remained on track, however, there are low coverage areas in some hard to reach and high-risk communities that require close monitoring and support at local levels. The UN will work with health sector partners to continue monitoring and analysing the continuity of essential health services, including the coverage and work with local authorities and communities to address barriers. To prevent importation and support returning migrant workers, a 2020 UN programme improved access to COVID-19 preventive measures and screening for returning migrants at points of entry and quarantine centres. The programme supported the provision of essential health and social services, such as maternal and newborn care, gender-based violence support, and mental health and psychosocial support. The programme also provided information on COVID-19 prevention and public health measures to returning migrants, as well as guidance on accessing essential health and social services. The United Nations has also worked with the Department of General Immigration to train border officials on health-compliant border management procedures and on performing duties while minimizing the risk of transmission. To date, Cambodia has vaccinated more than 98% of people 18 years of age or older with at least one dose, making it one of the most vaccinated countries globally. UN support for this effort has been detailed in 3 August 2021 UN Information Note #11. Nevertheless, it is not the time to let down our guard. The Delta variant is more transmissible than previous variants and has resulted in explosive outbreaks and overwhelmed hospitals in other countries. Ongoing transmission brings the threat of new variants arising at any time. The UN urges continued investment in provincial surveillance and response systems to enable provinces to detect cases more quickly and respond to clusters with targeted, localized measures, which will help minimize economic and social disruptions. This investment should include better data availability and management in the provinces with disaggregated data to assess the coverage of essential health services, especially for the at-risk, vulnerable, and marginalized individuals. The United Nations encourages prioritizing efforts to ensure 100% of the vulnerable, elderly, and those with underlying health conditions are fully vaccinated to save irreplaceable lives and prevent overwhelmed healthcare systems and hospitals. The United Nations advocates continuing support on risk communication and community engagement to safeguard the gains made in empowering families and communities to make decisions that save lives and livelihoods. The United Nations calls for respect for all human rights for the success of the public health response. While it is critically important to provide immediate health response to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the United Nations promotes human rights and gender-based strategy as part of its support to public health. It calls on the authorities to promote equality and address non-discrimination, which includes addressing pre-existing barriers to access to health and make the treatment and health services available for those who lack means of payment. The United Nations further calls the authorities to rebuild public health policy towards universal health coverage that is grounded on human rights where everyone is empowered, informed and engaged. Health is an investment that should not be considered a cost. We have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that health is a fundamental and indistinguishable part of society, not a luxury. If health is at risk, everything is at risk. Governments must prioritize strengthening healthcare capacity and public health systems—to invest now for a safer, healthier future. To build back better, governments must also use this opportunity to implement transformational policies, such as Universal Health Coverage, and sustainable financing for health to ensure resilient health systems. The United Nations commends the Royal Government for prioritizing this and will continue to support it in doing so. ### UN Cambodia’s Response to COVID-19 Information Notes is official documents from the United Nations in Cambodia intended for the media and other partners. They are prepared by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator.

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Press Release

27 September 2021

Germany and World Food Programme to Provide Cash Assistance to Support Recovery of Vulnerable Cambodian Families Affected by COVID-19 and Climate Shocks

The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound social and economic impacts on Cambodia’s vulnerable population. For part of them, these negative effects have been compounded by climatic shocks such as the devastating floods of late 2020. “COVID-19 and severe flooding have only added to the challenges faced by these already vulnerable people. Reports show that many of the most vulnerable households hit by these two shocks have reduced their food consumption, sold productive assets, and taken on debt to meet basic needs. We are pleased to be able to support those in need to meet their food and nutrition needs and support their recovery.” said WFP representative Claire Conan. GIZ and WFP will use data from the Royal Government of Cambodia, including the Ministry of Planning’s Identification of Poor Households (IDPoor) database, and disaster-related information from the Platform for Real-time Information System (PRISM), to identify poor households affected by the floods and COVID-19. GIZ has provided technical support to the Ministry of Planning to implement its IDPoor programme for more than a decade. The IDPoor programme now covers 100% of rural and urban areas in Cambodia. Targeted households will receive cash transfers in addition to the government's COVID-9 emergency cash transfers. This extra support will prevent the households from falling further into poverty and help build up their resilience to future crises. While the COVID-19 situation remains volatile and climatic shocks remain a constant potential threat, preparing for these is important. Therefore, WFP and GIZ will continue to provide support to the Royal Government of Cambodia to improve the responsiveness of current social assistance schemes to shocks. “Germany is proud to have supported IDPoor together with Australia for over a decade. Together with our technical cooperation agency GIZ, the Ministry of Planning has continuously enhanced IDPoor and the registry now covers all of Cambodia. It is instrumental in the response to the COVID pandemic.” said H.E. Christian BERGER, the German Ambassador. “In this additional collaboration with WFP, we are using a data driven approach with IDPoor and PRISM to help vulnerable groups including children, older persons and women in recovering and building resilience,” he added. “We thank Germany for its long-term support to Cambodia and are eager to work closely with GIZ to support families that have suffered from the effects of multiple shocks since last year. We are keen to develop an operational model for Cambodia’s future shock-responsive social assistance scheme. In so doing, we will be able to identify new ways to enhance social assistance and disaster response programmes, meaning families in the future will be much more ready and resilient when shocks do occur,” said Conan. This partnership will serve to support related efforts of government institutions such as the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, the General Secretariat of the National Social Protection Council, the Ministry of Planning, the National Committee for Disaster Management, as well as development partners engaged in social assistance and disaster response.

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Press Release

06 September 2021

Information Note #13: Support to Persons with Disabilities and COVID-19 Response

Persons with disabilities in Cambodia face multiple challenges such as inequality and discrimination in access to education, healthcare, employment, social protection, justice, public transport. They are also particularly vulnerable to violence and violations of their basic human rights. Women and girls with disabilities face additional discrimination and barriers when accessing services compared to men with disabilities. According to the 2019 General Population Census, 4.9 per cent of Cambodians (689,532 people) over the age of five reported some difficulty in performing basic functions. The COVID-19 pandemic threatens all members of society, but many persons with disabilities face inequalities that leave them more exposed. These inequalities, which are heightened for women and girls with disabilities, arise from multiple barriers such as stigma, inaccessibility of infrastructure, transport and information, and the lack of inclusive public policies and services. The United Nations system in Cambodia welcomes the extensive policy framework put in place by the Government to support a post-COVID recovery that is inclusive of persons with disabilities. The forthcoming adoption of a new disability law (expected in 2022) that will reflect the rights-based approach of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) will lay a solid foundation for future action. The National Disability Strategic Plan 2019-2023 (NDSP2) also provides a framework for action across all ministries and agencies at the national and sub-national levels. In addition, the National Social Protection Policy Framework 2016-2025 (SPPF) outlines a vision to expand coverage and increase coherence between social assistance, social insurance and labour market schemes. The United Nations (UN) System in Cambodia is actively supporting the Government in its efforts to ensure effective disability-inclusive responses to COVID-19. In addition to the health sector, several UN agencies are focusing on the secondary impacts of the pandemic and contributing specific sectoral support such as social protection, education and employment. The United Nations in collaboration with the Disability Action Council and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities conducted a national situational analysis and assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on the rights and wellbeing of persons with disabilities, as well as a three-year recovery plan. The analysis identified key gaps and opportunities to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on persons with disabilities. These included: poverty and unsustainable livelihoods; discrimination and negative attitudes; gender-based violence against women and girls and older persons with disabilities; information and education; inaccessibility of physical infrastructure; and a lack of reasonable accommodations. The United Nations provided technical support to the Government to ensure equitable and accessible social protection programme for persons with disabilities. As a result, around 59,000 persons with disabilities have had access to the national cash transfer programme during the pandemic. The United Nations provided technical assistance to the Government in promoting and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, including the right to justice and remedy through the provision of legal aid and capacity-building of justice actors. In the COVID-19 response and recovery plan, United Nations and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) accommodated children with disabilities for their access to continuous learning, including online learning platforms, integrating sign language translation into video clips for learning, making available and providing inclusive education materials and adaptive remedial learning packages which aimed for filling the gaps of their learning loss. At least 29,932 children with disabilities (including 12,562 girls) will benefit from the 760,040 home learning packages currently distributed to grade 1 and 2 children nationwide and, hygiene and sanitation supplies distributed to all 13,482 public schools across the country. The United Nations supported the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) on the creation of the National (social and rights-based) Disability Identification System that will for the first time be able to identify all children and people with disabilities in the country to improve their access to social protection, social care and livelihood opportunities. As a result, more than 60,000 persons with disabilities were identified through roll-out of the identification to be completed nationally by end of 2021. On COVID-19 vaccination, through its multiple sector programs with other Ministries, including MoSVY and MOI, the United Nations alongside NGO partners, have worked with local administrative authorities and community structures to facilitate equitable access of COVID-19 vaccination to specific vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities. 80% (1,322 out of 1,646) of communes collected data of persons with disabilities for arranging COVID-19 vaccination. 125,217 persons with disabilities identified, 86,479 persons (69%) were voluntary vaccinated. 17,434 out of 86,479 persons with disabilities were fully vaccinated. The United Nations provided technical support to Government to promote the social inclusion of women and young persons with disabilities in the areas of access to sexual and reproductive health services, information, and education for persons with disabilities, including preventing and addressing sexual violence and Gender-Based Violence. Challenges remain in the effective mainstreaming of disability into broader policies and plans. There is still much work to be done to build the capacity of government officials, local authorities, other service providers, and the business sector to ensure effective disability inclusion in all responses to the pandemic, including in the development and implementation of laws, policies and plans. The United Nations seeks to strengthen the capacity of national and sub-national service providers to deliver equitable and accessible basic services, including during emergencies. These include services such as healthcare, social welfare, rehabilitation employment, justice and education, and the protection of vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities. The three-year recovery plan for persons with disabilities can serve as a roadmap in this regard. To ensure the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities and their access to services and support will require commitment and creativity from all stakeholders, including but not limited to government agencies, UN agencies and other development partners, International Organizations, NGOs, the business sector and civil society. At the same time, urgent attention is needed to ensure that capacities to address the rights and meet the needs of persons with all types of disabilities for services and support in or near their communities are available, appropriate and accessible. Most importantly, persons with disabilities must be at the center of recovery planning. No one knows better the challenges and barriers that must be overcome to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, restore a sense of wellbeing and enjoy the same rights and access to services, supports, and opportunities on an equal basis with others. ### UN Cambodia’s Response to COVID-19 Information Notes are official documents from the United Nations in Cambodia intended for the media and other partners. They are prepared by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator.

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Press Release

31 August 2021

World Food Programme and Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport Provide Food Support To 30,000 Families

This fifth round of food assistance comes as the Royal Government of Cambodia has confirmed its commitment to a new School Meals Coalition, to be launched as part of the Global Food Systems Summit in September 2021. This coalition sees governments, the United Nations, civil society, academia, philanthropy and the private sector joining together in recognition that school meals is a crucial element of food systems transformation which can help countries recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The initiative underscores the urgency to act now to protect the most vulnerable children from hunger and malnutrition leaving no one behind. Cambodia is one of the first 40 countries to sign up to this historic Coalition. “Nutritious school meals increase students’ concentration spans and help them study more effectively, contributing to better educational outcomes,” said H.E HANG Chuon Naron, Minister of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. “Providing children with diverse, nutrient-rich foods through free school meals also motivates families to send and keep their children in school while easing their economic burden. This is why we signed up to join the School Meals Coalition, which demonstrates the Royal Government’s commitment to ensure that no child is left behind.” For the past twenty years, the WFP-supported school meals programme has provided nutritious and healthy meals to primary school children in some of the poorest areas of Cambodia. Before the pandemic, the programme reached 223,000 children in 908 target schools in the five provinces. Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak and related school closures, children have missed out on the nutritious cooked breakfasts provided through the programme. This has particularly impacted children from the poorest families, many of whom also suffered from loss of income and livelihoods. “WFP knows how important good nutrition is to young lives, which is why our team is working hard to make sure that these food packages reach vulnerable households where children could be at risk of not getting enough nutritious food,” said Claire Conan, WFP’s Country Director in Cambodia. “Many households have been severely economically-impacted by the pandemic. This food distribution is designed to complement other social assistance schemes put in place by the Royal Government of Cambodia. We are deeply grateful to all our partners for their crucial role in providing this support to the vulnerable, especially MoEYS, the National Social Protection Council and our donors.” This is the fifth round of food distributed to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable households. The distributions take place through school networks with support from Education Departments, school administrations, commune and village authorities, and NGO partners. WFP is also working closely with MoEYS and other partners to improve school infrastructure and facilities in preparation for a safe return to schools once they re-open. The school feeding programme in Cambodia, including this special food distribution, is made possible by the generous support from the Governments of Cambodia, Japan, KOICA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

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