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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
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Story
15 September 2021
Empowering Women in Industrial Development in Cambodia: Phearom’s Journey
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Speech
09 September 2021
Report Launch: The Youth Situation Analysis in Cambodia
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Latest
The Sustainable Development Goals 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:
Press Release
01 June 2021
Information Note #5: Ensuring Food Security and Nutrition during COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic and measures meant to slow the transmission of the virus are resulting in economic downturns in countries worldwide, which have led to increased food insecurity and malnutrition.
Before the pandemic, Cambodia had made impressive progress on food security and nutrition. Yet, the prevalence of undernourishment stood at 14% and malnutrition persisted in all its forms. One in three children under 5 suffered from chronic malnutrition and one in ten from acute malnutrition. Micronutrient deficiencies were widespread, and obesity was on the rise.
The United Nations system in Cambodia is concerned about the impacts of COVID-19 on the food security and nutrition status of vulnerable groups including the poor, women and children, the people with underling health conditions, old and the unsheltered. Food insecurity and malnutrition are closely linked with human dignity, and access to food and nutrition is basic human right of every human being. Indeed, loss of income and livelihoods reduces access to food and aggravates the difficulties many face to access affordable, healthy and adequate diets, as well as services.
A United Nations study released in April 2021 showed that in the last six months, households have increasingly adopted coping strategies to access food including reducing food intake, relying on cheaper options, and borrowing. It highlighted that IDPoor households, small size (1-3 members) and households with members having disabilities were more likely to have poor food security and nutrition outcomes. At the end of 2020 only half of Cambodian women aged 15-49 consumed a sufficiently diverse diet (down from 70% earlier in the year). Public health experts further anticipated in a Lancet article (July 2020) a 14% increase in acute malnutrition in low and lower-middle income countries due to COVID-19.
Investing to protect food security and nutrition is essential in the COVID-19 response as:
Healthy, balanced diets for all are key for boosting immunity and preventing non-communicable diseases that are risk factors for higher COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.
Malnutrition in childhood and pregnancy has many adverse and intergenerational consequences for child growth and development with life-long impacts on education and chronic disease risks.
It has far-reaching consequences for human capital, economic productivity, and national development overall. In 2016, it was estimated that malnutrition costed the economy 266 million USD per year (1.7% GDP).
The United Nations promotes rights-based, integrated, multi-sectoral, systems approach to food security and nutrition. Through such initiatives as the UN Nutrition, it speaks in one voice to elevate the prioritization and commitment to food security and nutrition and access to food for all while working with partners to realise the goals of the National Food Security and Nutrition Strategy as well as the recently launched roadmap for the prevention and treatment of wasting. It also supports interventions across the food, education, health, social protection, and WASH systems. With the upcoming United Nations Food Systems Summit in July 2021, the United Nations is supporting the Royal Government to conduct inclusive dialogues, promote awareness and mobilize multistakeholder action to create pathways for more sustainable food systems.
Specific to COVID-19, the United Nations is contributing quality data through regular household-based primary data collection to measure the evolution of the food security and nutrition situation and the effectiveness of mitigation measures.
National social assistance efforts, notably the significant increase in cash transfers and the provision of food rations in lieu of school feeding provided by the Government at regular intervals since April 2020, have played an important role to mitigate further damage on food security and nutrition of the poorest. The United Nations supported these efforts and will continue to engage through advocacy and technical assistance to enhance both the nutrition-sensitivity and shock-responsiveness of social assistance.
To complement national initiatives in the COVID-19 response, the United Nations is also directly providing food packages and cash transfers - at times combined with building productive assets, technical training, and extension services - to the most vulnerable groups, including poor households affected by multiple shocks, informal workers, returning migrants, small-scale farmers, young children, pregnant and lactating women.
For instance, the United Nations provided take-home rations to support over 89,500 students from IDPoor households. Another round of food distribution will take place in June 2021. The United Nations and its partners are also supporting approximately 1500 households impacted by COVID-19 in Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey Province to restore their livelihoods.
In relation to the recent COVID-19 lockdown measures, as highlighted in Information Note #2 on Social Protection, the United Nations system in Cambodia advocated for a human rights-based response to COVID-19 based on a “do no harm” approach with emphasis on: (i) protecting the access of all, including the most vulnerable people to diverse, balanced and nutritious diets through the provision of food assistance and the expansion of social protection; (ii) considering food production, marketing and distribution as essential services; (iii) enhancing two-way communication to more effectively address issues concerning food access; and (iv) establishing preparedness measures to enhance the response in case of future similar measures.
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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
28 May 2021
Information Note #4: UN Support to Cambodia Prisons in the Current COVID-19 Context
The United Nations system in Cambodia works on prisons and with prison authorities based on the respective agencies’ mandates with a view to ensuring that the rights of persons in detention and those working with them are protected and promoted in line with Cambodia’s international human rights obligations. As such, the UN’s role is limited to technical assistance, whereas the Government retains obligations to uphold its commitments to protect and promote human rights of Cambodian prison population. When an urgent need arises, the UN provides humanitarian assistance to the extent possible in line with the request of the government and international humanitarian principles.
In the context of technical assistance, the United Nations system in Cambodia has continuously called and offered support, and continues to call on the authorities to cooperate in protecting people who are behind bars, ensuring rational testing following guidelines, and ensuring that the COVID-19 outbreak is managed appropriately with a view to protecting the rights of prisoners and prison staff.
Specific United Nations entities have also been entrusted with promoting international norms and standards pertaining to prison settings, such as the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners Nelson Mandela Rules (Nelson Mandela Rules), the UN Standard Minimum Rules for Non-Custodial Measures (Tokyo Rules) and the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (Bangkok Rules). The UN system continues to advocate for the implementation of these norms and standards.
On the health response, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the United Nations has provided technical advice and operational support to Ministry of Health to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 in Cambodia. In Cambodian prison settings, together with partners, the UN advice and support includes: (1)establishing Influenza-like-illness (ILI) sentinel surveillance sites in four prisons located in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Kampong Cham, where at these sites, detainees presenting with ILI symptoms are tested for COVID-19; and (2) working with the Ministry of Health and advising the General Directorate of Prisons on risk mitigation measures and response planning in prison facilities. In response to the current COVID-19 outbreak, UN has provided technical advice on the use of rapid tests including implication of negative test results and guidance on contact tracing and quarantine; and promoting cross-sectoral collaborative and coordinated preparedness and response.
On 13 May 2021, the General Directorate of Prisons requested the United Nations to provide humanitarian support to the Cambodian prisons, which is summarized below:
For Prison Operation Officials (Security and Health)
No.
Materials
Quantity
Unit
1
Quasi-PPE clothing (direct services to Covid-19 infected individuals)
2,500
Set
2
Face shields
2,500
Piece
3
Latex gloves
5,000
Pair
4
Rubber gloves
250
Pair
5
Rubber boots
250
Pair
6
Waterproof plastic aprons
250
Piece
7
N-95 masks
15,000
Piece
For Inmates (10,000 Individuals)
1
Rapid antigen test kits for detecting Covid-19
10,000
Set
2
Chinese traditional anti-flu medicine (Lianhua Qingwen Jiaonang)
35,000
Box
3
Multi-vitamin supplements
140,000
Tablet
4
Vitamin C 500 mg
420,000
Tablet
On 27 May 2021, the United Nations handed over 5,000 pairs of latex gloves, 250 pairs of rubber gloves, and 250 pairs of rubber boots to the General Department of Prisons at the Correction Center II. These supplies are funded by the grant of the Government of Japan. They will be distributed by the General Department of Prisons to provincial prisons where there is high risk of COVID-19 outbreak, in particular where there are juvenile detainees.
Concurrently, the United Nations is procuring most of the remaining items on the GDP list: 500 sets of quasi-PPE clothing, 500 face shields, 200 pieces waterproof plastic aprons, 4,500 N-95 masks, 3,000 rapid antigen test kits, 140,000 tablets of multi-vitamin supplements and 420,000 tablets of Vitamin C 500 mg. and vitamin). Delivery time will take into account availability of stocks in the domestic and international markets.
In addition, the United Nations will be contributing 200 boxes (10,000 pcs) of masks and 1,080 bar soaps to the Sihanoukville prison by 1 June 2021. The United Nations will also be supplying an additional 3,000 rapid antigen test kits and other PPE supplies.
The United Nations system in Cambodia continues to advocate and offers technical assistance on implementing alternatives to detention, particularly in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. In this regard, the United Nations system has urged the Royal Government that detention should be used as a last resort and alternative measures to imprisonment should be considered as a matter of priority. The United Nations system notes that Cambodian Criminal Procedure Code provides that liberty, not detention, should be the norm for those awaiting trial. The challenges posed to the penal system by COVID-19 are exceptional and commensurate exceptional measures are needed to ensure that the health and rights of all of those held in Cambodia’s dangerously overcrowded prisons are protected. In the context of the current COVID-19 outbreak, the authorities need to take urgent steps to minimize the threat posed by the virus to those in detention including by releasing to alternate facilities, a wide range of categories of prisoners, namely pre-trial detainees, women with accompanying children, those with pre-existing medical conditions and non-violent offenders.
At the same time, the United Nations system has been advocating for alternatives to detention for children in conflict with the law and supported the Ministry of Justice to develop the Diversion and Child-friendly procedures guidelines. Capacity building for police, prosecutors, judges and social workers has been provided and will continue to be provided to ensure the effective application of the Law on Juvenile Justice and relevant procedures and to implement alternative measures to detention.
The United Nations system in Cambodia does not have specific information on the number of positive cases in prisons in Cambodia and calls on greater transparency to ensure that information concerning the outbreak in prisons is made available similar to other COVID-19 positive cases.
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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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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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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
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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Story
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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22 February 2021
National Honours: Medals awarded to United Nations Staffs
Mr. Barua and Mr. Meng are the Country Director and Country Programme Officer of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Both were recognised for their remarkable contributions to poverty reduction, rural development and smallholder agricultural development in Cambodia. Through the IFAD-financed and supervised Agriculture Services Programme for Innovation, Resilience and Extension (ASPIRE) program implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), over 61,000 farmers across 24 provinces in Cambodia have been supported to form farmers’ groups and business clusters. The program has supported rural farming households with appropriate climate-resilient technology, extension services and on-field support and market access. The IFAD team has also collaborated with the Ministry of Commerce to promote access to markets and the Ministry of Rural Development to provide climate-resilient infrastructure to rural communities. These interventions have resulted in marked increases in household assets and agricultural productivity across the supported communities.
The IFAD team has also promoted renewable energy technologies, with over 5,000 small farmers adopting sustainable and environmentally friendly renewable energy technologies on their farms. New digital technologies have been promoted, especially following the Covid pandemic that causes disruptions in physical access to markets. The Chamka App developed through support from IFAD and MAFF provides a virtual market platform and technical support, with over 11,000 farmers already registered. These initiatives contribute significantly to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and support the Royal Government of Cambodia 2030 Vision.
Mr. Barua and Mr. Meng were recognised for their exceptional commitment to the objectives of the projects, for their close collaboration with Ministries, provinces, and community partners and for introducing key innovations across the agricultural sector. The Government of Cambodia conferred the Royal Order for these contributions. Their work contributed to improved food security, increased household incomes and assets, primarily achieved from improvements in agricultural productivity and diversification and from investments in roads and irrigation implemented by the IFAD supported projects. In terms of human capital, many beneficiaries have obtained new skills, including improved agricultural practices or changes in (non-agricultural) practices and behaviour (e.g. leadership skills, bookkeeping, nutritional feeding of children). The IFAD projects support facilitating networking and the emergence of rural organisations. The projects have contributed to strengthening the capacity of national-level government, sub-national administrations and Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Provincial Departments of Commerce nationwide. The IFAD portfolio has also contributed to some aspects of policies and institutions along with substantial support by other development partners in relation to areas such as the promotion of participatory and demand-driven approaches and pluralistic agricultural extension services, with participation on of private service providers, and introduction of new “institutions” in the extension system.
Besides the focus on innovations and incomes, the IFAD country team has ensured that agricultural development activities address the needs and priorities of the most vulnerable and prepare rural Cambodia for the challenges posed by climate change. All projects have a clear focus on poor communities and smallholders. All training and production support activities are designed to be climate-resilient, nutrition-sensitive and to promote women’s empowerment. This is the core principle of the United Nations, “Leave No One Behind”, a transformative element of the Sustainable Development Goals.
IFAD has been active in Cambodia since 1996, with its support moving from recovery to building institutions to focusing on the market economy and supporting Cambodia to reach upper MIC status. As a United Nations agency and a member of the United Nations Country Team, IFAD objectives and approaches are developed under the overall vision of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).
The United Nations has a long history of promoting peace and advancing human development in Cambodia. The nature of UN operations has evolved over time in response to the changing needs of the country. From technical cooperation during the earliest days of Cambodia’s independence; to border relief operations, repatriation of refugees, peacekeeping and elections after the 30-year civil war; to post-conflict reconstruction and nation-building; right up to the present-day commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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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.
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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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Press Release
22 August 2021
Information Note #12: Mental Health and COVID-19
“There is no health without mental health. COVID-19 has threatened mental health in Cambodia, particularly for vulnerable Cambodians, such as migrant workers. WHO and the UN are working to ensure that these vulnerable groups have access to mental health and psychosocial support.”[1]
Dr Li Ailan, WHO Representative to Cambodia.
As COVID-19 threatened people’s physical health, it also had a huge impact on their mental health. In May, the World Bank estimated that the pandemic had endangered at least 1.7 million jobs in Cambodia[2], putting immense socioeconomic—and emotional—stress on Cambodians. Workers in many industries had their salaries cut or their livelihoods threatened; students and families had to adapt to schools being physically closed; and everyone coped with greater social isolation and uncertainty. These challenges made many people feel anxious and distressed. Migrant workers were particularly affected, struggling to find a source of income upon their return[3], which caused considerable stress, depression and other mental health challenges. To date, over 225,000 (46% women) Cambodian migrant workers have returned to Cambodia from neighboring countries since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, demand for mental health services increased.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is a core component of any public health response. Addressing the mental health effects of COVID-19 is essential to prevent long-term impacts on Cambodians’ wellbeing.
The United Nations prioritizes mental health as a human rights issue. In May 2020, the Secretary General issued a policy brief calling for concrete actions on mental health. The note provides substantive and policy guidance for the United Nations, Governments, civil society and other stakeholders to minimize the mental health consequences caused by the pandemic. The Secretary General notes that human rights violations against people with severe mental health conditions are widespread in all countries of the world.
The United Nations system in Cambodia has worked closely with the Royal Government to strengthen the mental health services offered at health facilities and in communities. Technical and financial support was provided to the Government[4] using a whole-of-system approach, reaching the most vulnerable population at community level through Village Health Support Groups (VHSGs), Health Centers and referral hospitals, rehabilitation centers and prison health staff to ensure everyone who is need have access to services without discrimination. It ensured essential mental health service delivery and psycho-social support in the context of COVID-19.
In collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse of the Ministry of Health, the United Nations trained health staff to provide appropriate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to vulnerable population, including returning migrants. As a result, 2,778 (969 females and 1,809 males) health staff from health centers and districts referral hospitals in 24 provinces and Phnom Penh gained knowledge and skills on MHPSS in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In October 2020, flooding affected Cambodians in 19 provinces. This capacity building provided a foundation for health staff to provide mental health and psychosocial support in some flood-affected areas, showing how investment in essential health services as part of COVID-19 preparedness and response has much wider benefits.
At community level, the UN in Cambodia supported the Department of Psychology of the Royal University of Phnom Penh to conduct awareness raising sessions on mental health and psychosocial support for villages chiefs and village health support groups. 2,134 (836 females and 1,298 males) villages chiefs and village health support groups in 11 provinces gained knowledge and skills on preventive measures for anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention, along with basic counselling skills and how to mitigate the risks of gender-based violence. Moreover, 90,900 copies of awareness raising materials on COVID-19 related anxiety and depression management, suicide prevention, basic psychosocial support and relaxation were distributed among the population through the 2,134 village health support groups in 11 provinces.
Support was also provided to strengthen Mental Health and Psychosocial Support by specialized NGOs, such as The Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) and Child Helpline Cambodia (CHC), through hotlines, social media, face to face counselling and referrals to other services. Child Helpline Cambodia received 7,323 calls and all were provided with educational information mental health. In addition, 134 children and youth and 49 adults received individual counselling, 445 children and youth, 58 adults were provided with basic mental health care tips and self-protection, and 10 children and 7 adults were referred for specialized services. In 2020, a total of 195,364 children and 104,651 adults were reached with MHPSS messaging and COVID-19 prevention messages through social media, and 51 children and 630 adults received specialized mental health support from TPO’s psychologists and psychiatrists.
MHPSS messages were also integrated in positive parenting programme and other Risk Communication and Community Engagement messaging implemented by ICS-SP. Since 2020, a total of 112,611 children and 76,816 parents/caregivers were reached with integrated MHPSS and COVID-19 prevention messaging and positive parenting tips. Additionally, 4,805 children and 5,392 parents/caregivers were reached through targeted community-based parenting sessions, peer-education and home-base visits, which included MHPSS information, conducted by trained community facilitators. All the above efforts contributed to addressing anxiety and stress in the context of COVID-19.
Mental health and psychosocial support is an important part of COVID-19 response and further investment in this support will contribute to a safer and healthier future for all Cambodians. Now is the time to leverage the progress made through the COVID-19 response and build better mental health systems for the future. Key actions include addressing the chronic underfunding of mental health, taking a systems approach to deliver equitable, effective, and accessible services based on human rights principles and championing mental health beyond the health sector. Strengthening further the capacity of other sectors including local authorities, social workers, and education to address mental health is a step towards ensuring widespread availability of MHPSS to all populations, including the most vulnerable and hard to reach.
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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] https://www.who.int/cambodia/news/feature-stories/detail/who-rgc-and-partners-join-forces-to-offer-mental-health-support-to-migrant-workers-and-vulnerable-groups
[2] https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/05/29/covid-19-coronavirus-epidemic-poses-greatest-threat-to-cambodias-development-in-30-years-world-bank
[3] Situation Report from IOM Cambodia for June & July 2021
[4] Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse of the Ministry of Health and the Royal University of Phnom Penh of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.
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Press Release
03 August 2021
Ministry of Health Establishes National Technical Working Group for Migrant Health
This marks a milestone for IOM Cambodia which has over the past few years supported the Royal Government of Cambodia in ramping up efforts to include migrant workers in the national healthcare coverage and address the specific vulnerabilities they face. The Migrant Health Policy was endorsed by MoH in February 2021 with previous series of workshops facilitated by IOM Cambodia , where the initial talks on the on the development of the National Strategic Plan (2021-2030) also took place.
Kristin Parco, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Cambodia commented that the endorsement of the National Migration Health Policy will enhance the equitable access for migrants to health promotion and disease prevention. “The inclusion of migrant health in the development of national strategies will significantly contribute to the implementation of the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in by the Royal Government of Cambodia,” Parco said.
“A champion country for GCM implementation, Cambodia is taking big steps to also become a migrant health champion country and lead by example in the region. The priority now is to develop and operationalize the National Strategic Plan of Action. Cambodia can be proud of its approach to strengthening migration governance and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” she added.
Migrant workers in Cambodia, many of whom have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic often face barriers in accessing essential health services, such as their irregular employment status, lack of financial means and indebtedness and sometimes it is simply lack of information on how and where they can access health care.
In 2017, at a regional level discussion, MoH with the support from IOM Cambodia, committed to developing a Migrant Health Policy. Following this, a situation analysis was conducted in 2018 to analyse the specific situation of migrant workers in Cambodia and identify health challenges and existing legal frameworks which promote migrant health.
A technical consultation followed in December 2018, which involved MoH and other key ministries: Interior, Labour and Vocational Training and Education, Youth and Sports. The consultation resulted in a draft Migrant Health Policy and a recommendation to create a technical working group on the development of this policy.
Between January 2019 and February 2021, a series of 13 technical working group meetings took place to seek inputs from key stakeholders such as technical departments of MoH, hospitals, WHO and ILO. Finally, the Migrant Health Policy was adopted in February 2021.
Chanthida Dum, National Project Officer at IOM Cambodia, who supported MoH throughout the process said that IOM will continue to support MoH to finalize National Strategic Plan (2021-2030) and develop operational guidelines together with the national Technical Working Group for Migrant Health.
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