United Nations in Cambodia

Latest

15 March 2023

The 5th Asia-Pacific Community-Based Inclusive Development Congress

10 March 2023

National Launch Event of Cambodia’s National Cooling Action Plan and Inception Meeting for the Passive Cooling Strategies for Sustainable Development in Cambodia Project

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Speech

09 March 2023

UNRC's message for International Women Day 2023

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Latest

Speech

15 March 2023

The 5th Asia-Pacific Community-Based Inclusive Development Congress

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Speech

10 March 2023

National Launch Event of Cambodia’s National Cooling Action Plan and Inception Meeting for the Passive Cooling Strategies for Sustainable Development in Cambodia Project

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Speech

09 March 2023

UNRC's message for International Women Day 2023

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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:

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Press Release

13 September 2022

WFP AND GOVERNMENT OF CAMBODIA TO LAUNCH BEHAVIOUR CHANGE CAMPAIGN TO IMPROVE NUTRITION AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN

The nutrition-in-schools campaign was developed jointly by WFP and MoEYS at a workshop attended by UN agencies, civil society organizations, the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Offices of Education from Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom and Siem Reap. “Many factors contribute to poor nutrition, and behaviour is one of them. An effective campaign that educates children on the importance of a nutritious and balanced diet can be central to their long-term development and health,” said Claire Conan, WFP Representative and Country Director. “Building on our long-standing engagement in school meal programmes, we are now working with the School Health Department and partners to develop the campaign to encourage increased consumption of fruit, vegetables, and proteins.” In Cambodia, school children suffer from high levels of micronutrient deficiencies, rising overweight and obesity rates and a lingering burden of undernutrition. The rapid proliferation of highly processed foods in recent years has had significant impact on the quality of diet. At the same time, diet diversity remains relatively low. Rice, meat, and fish consumption are high, while fruit, vegetables and consumption of other animal-source protein, like milk or eggs, fall below international guidelines. “This is concerning because despite some progress in reducing the burden of wasting, stunting and underweight in Cambodia, undernutrition remains a persistent problem at the household level,” said H.E. Dr. Chhay Kimsotheavy, Director of MoEYS’ School Health Department. WFP, in collaboration with the Royal Government of Cambodia, has been providing nutritious school meals to primary and pre-primary school children since 1999, helping to improve nutrition outcomes as well as student attendance, concentration and learning. However, as school meals represent only a portion of children’s diets and do not tackle food consumption at home or unhealthy snacking behaviours, there is still an opportunity to use schools as a platform to influence children’s diets more broadly. This campaign will help advance the goals of the 2019 National Policy on School Health, the National Action Plan on School Health, and the Standard Guidelines for School Health Promotion, all of which include strategic priorities aimed at promoting improved dietary and health behaviours for school children and their caregivers. # # # The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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Press Release

17 June 2022

Information Note #17: Civil Society Participation

The United Nations Secretary-General’s Call to Action for Human Rights includes public participation and civic space as one of seven thematic areas for action, stating that “society is stronger and more resilient when women and men can play a meaningful role in political, economic and social life, contributing to policy-making that affects their lives, including by accessing information, engaging in dialogue, expressing dissent and joining together to express their views.” Civic space is key for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It is the marginalized people who are at the greatest risk of being left behind. By ensuring the meaningful participation of civil society, countries can reduce inequality, ensure inclusion, and improve sustainability. In Cambodia, civil society actors cover a wide range of issues, including service delivery in the development and humanitarian fields, promoting good governance, conservation, peace-building, and human rights. They are found in every province of the country, in every sector, and staffed by individuals and volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds. Cambodia’s Constitution, promulgated in 1993, places an emphasis on the role of the individual in public life, enshrining in Article 35, the right “to participate actively in the political, economic, social and cultural life of the nation”. However, the constitutional promise that “suggestions from the people shall be given full consideration” by the authorities are still to be fully implemented. Since 2017, civic space and exercise of fundamental freedoms has been restricted as outlined in successive reports by the United Nations.[1] United Nations Support Since the 1990s, the United Nations has worked hand-in-hand with civil society in Cambodia to promote and protect human rights. It has provided training and capacity building to civil society actors on international human rights standards, worked with civil society partners in investigating allegations of human rights violations and abuses, promoted their participation in public affairs, and supported their advocacy at national and international level. Today, the United Nations in Cambodia continues to empower civil society as human rights defender and accelerator for development, advocating for the expansion and protection of its operating space. The United Nation’s partnership with civil society has allowed it to play a critical role as defender of rights since its inception. The right to freedom of expression: Working closely with the Royal Government of Cambodia, journalists and civil society the United Nations is providing technical assistance, capacity-building and legal support, as well as strengthening networks to promote greater freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom as fundamental human rights and critical pillars of democracy. As part of the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, a legal support desk has been set up with lawyers with expertise on freedom of expression, providing support and advice on Cambodia’s legislation to over 30 media professionals. Furthermore, following the Plan of Action, more than 300 representatives from the media, the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Information and Ministry of Justice have engaged in a series of dialogues convened by the United Nations to build better understanding of the role of the media in providing information to the public during the pandemic, and foster collaboration between the authorities and journalists to create an enabling environment for freedom of expression and access to information. The right to freedom of association: The United Nations continues to work closely with civil society organizations, including human rights groups, trade unions and others, to build their knowledge and capacities, understand the threats they are facing and to monitor developments with regard to their operating environment. The United Nations has worked closely with civil society to advocate against the shrinking of civic space, including by identifying problematic provisions of legislation that regulates NGOs, associations, and trade unions, and the work that they carry out. In February this year, the UN in Cambodia launched a project aimed at bolstering civic space. The right to freedom of peaceful assembly: The United Nations monitors the exercise of this right, including by monitoring demonstrations and engaging with authorities to ensure that this right is upheld. For many years, the UN has been present at demonstrations in Phnom Penh and elsewhere in the country, assisting authorities in ensuring that they facilitate rather than restrict or hamper the right to protest. This has included liaising with authorities in moments of high tension. The right to participation in public affairs: The United Nations develops the capacity of civil society organizations and creates the space for their participation in policy-making and localizing the SDGs for more informed, effective, sustainable and inclusive decisions, for example, children and youth, women, and indigenous peoples. Each advance in protecting civic space has a positive ripple effect for communities and individuals, and their rights. It is also critical for development, peace, and security more broadly. In the area of youth, the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP) in Cambodia was established in 2007 as an interactive platform for dialogue with young people led by young people, to understand their development priorities and perspectives and ensure the voices of Cambodian young people are heard within the UN system. In 2021, UNYAP with support from UN and partners, was able to successfully mobilize young people through the organization of major events such as International Youth Day, Youth Talk Programmes, Campaign on Promoting Decent Employability for Youth and a media mentoring programme to build capacity on civic engagement. In its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2019, the Royal Government voluntarily committed to “ensure a free civic space, allowing human rights defenders and journalists to freely express themselves both offline and online, without fear of harassment or reprisal, and refrain from prosecuting persons for exercising their fundamental rights”. In September 2021, the UN Secretary-General called on Cambodia to “strengthen civic and democratic space, [and] end harassment of political actors and human rights defenders”. The United Nations has worked with the relevant ministries and institutions, including the Cambodia Human Rights Committee, to implement the UPR recommendations and increase dialogue with the civil society. For instance, a consultation of the UPR Mid-term Report was co-organized on 23 March 2022. As Cambodia recently held the Commune Council elections and moves towards national elections in 2023, citizens and civil society organizations, including women’s organizations, need to be able to fully contribute and participate in policy making that affect their lives. The Secretary-General’s Call to Action for Human Rights reiterates that the active engagement of civil society actors is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Cambodia. Despite not having a mandate to get involved in assisting, organizing, or observing the 2022 commune elections, the United Nations closely monitored the human rights situation in during the electoral period[2]. The United Nations stands ready to support the Royal Government of Cambodia in taking steps to improve civic space through legislative reform to strengthen compliance with Cambodia’s international human rights obligations, including the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations and the Law on Trade Unions. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development places human rights at the heart of efforts to promote and drive socioeconomic development with its key principle of leaving no-one behind and empowering people as active agents of sustainable development. The United Nations, as a development partner of Cambodia, will continue to highlight the interdependence of all human rights and to collaborate with the Government to improve civic space and to ensure that Cambodia’s development is shared, inclusive and harnesses the skills and contributions of the society as a whole and the country’s civil society. ### 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 consolidated by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator on behalf of the UN Country Team. [1] See, for example, Report of the UN Secretary-General to the Human Rights Council, 16 September 2021. [2] https://cambodia.un.org/en/183273-united-nations-not-involved-assisting-organizing-or-observing-2022-commune-elections

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Speech

13 February 2023

Remarks: High-Level Conference: Good Governance and Public Trust - Strengthening the Efficiency and Transparency of Social Protection in Cambodia | Social Protection Week 2023

*Check against delivery* Your Excellency Dr. Aun Pornmoniroth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Esteemed Government Delegates, Distinguished Colleagues of Development Partners and UN System, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. I am delighted to join you this morning for the opening of the 2nd Social Protection Week. At the outset, and on behalf of the UN system, I am pleased to convey our sincere appreciation to the Royal Government of Cambodia for promoting the social protection system and the continued efforts towards expanding this protection for all people in Cambodia. I would like to congratulate the General Secretariat of the National Social Protection Council and other partners who have contributed to the organization of this important multi-day event. Since the launch of the National Social Protection Policy Framework in 2016, and particularly since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Royal Government has markedly expanded programmes, including social assistance and social security. This expansion is not only reaching people currently living in poverty, but also those who are at risk of falling back into poverty or facing other shocks. The Royal Government is implementing new social assistance programmes including cash transfer programmes for vulnerable households suffering from inflationary pressures, and for vulnerable households severely affected by floods. Furthermore, as the preparation of the Universal Health Coverage Roadmap is underway, the Royal Government is committed to advancing the universal health coverage through the phased expansion of social health protection through the Health Equity Fund and National Social Security Fund. This is expected to expand coverage to an additional half a million people. Since 2020, the Royal Government has gradually taken ownership of the national school meals programme and now manages nearly half of the schools benefiting from school meals. This programme, which contributes towards human capital development, is one of the only two social assistance schemes under the national social protection framework that targets children, a share of the population under-covered by social protection. The impressive pace and scale of the social protection expansion demonstrates the increasing capacity of the Royal Government as custodians of the duty to protect people’s lives and livelihoods and ensure that the fundamental rights to social protection can be enjoyed by all people in Cambodia. An important mental shift that we must complete in this regard is recognizing that social protection is not a cost for government, but rather, a key investment in a thriving and prosperous society. It is an investment in people that prevents a spiral into poverty and deprivation. It is an investment that protects the larger economy and leads to significant returns. A joint assessment between the United Nations and the Ministry of Economy and Finance concluded that the investment in social protection programmes saved the economy 0.8 percentage points and reduced poverty by 3.4 percentage points. The recent progress in Cambodia has undoubtedly provided protection for millions of people who would have otherwise been at risk. Such progress is underpinned by the adoption and effective implementation of legislation and policies. These aim at providing protection for all those that might be at risk and empowering the instruments of government to respond accordingly. For example, the adoption of the proposed ‘Child Protection Law’ can be the foundation upon which the Royal Government and partners can ensure that every child born in Cambodia is provided appropriate protection and can access all services, such as health and education. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen Recent achievements have demonstrated what is possible when all stakeholders collaborate effectively. At the same time, our collective efforts to enhance the social protection framework still have some way to go to fulfill emerging opportunities. There remain areas in which the system can be both expanded and improved to ensure that the safety-net it provides can catch all those at risk to a variety of shocks. This forms an essential element in the national effort to ensure that truly no one living in Cambodia is left behind – which is fundamental for achieving the global goals, the SDGs, that we have all committed to. One of the current priorities is to bridge the gap between existing legal protections and their effective implementation. For instance, there exist several social protection schemes aimed at the protection of workers, such as employment injury and healthcare schemes. However, many workers and enterprises seem not to be enrolled yet in these schemes, despite being legally required to do so. And to genuinely close the coverage gap, there must be a concurrent focus on strengthening institutional mechanisms and capacity at both national and sub-national levels to ensure they can handle the delivery of social protection services and meet the increasing demand of expanding coverage. An important positive step in this regard is that various social assistance programmes are now gathered under one roof, the newly established National Social Assistance Fund. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen The UN system is supporting the Royal Government in the expansion of social protection coverage to those populations that are not yet covered. Our support to the government in this area includes: development of a strategy for progressive formalization of informal employment; design and eventual introduction of the Family Package Scheme; graduation based social protection; and, the formulation and introduction of a shock-responsive social protection framework. There is also a need to improve the accountability and transparency of the social protection system through the development of a monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. This is essential to deepen the public’s trust and enhance the social contract between the state and its people. The recent establishment of the Social Security Regulator to supervise and oversee the operations of all social security schemes in the country is an important step in this regard. The Regulator plays a crucial role to ensure that social security schemes are executed in a transparent, accountable and financially sustainable manner. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen Before closing, and on behalf of the UN system, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Royal Government and other partners for the positive collaboration and partnership that have resulted in remarkable achievements in protecting the most vulnerable from the unprecedented multifaceted COVID-19, fuel and food crises. As Cambodia has emerged out of these crises, these results highlight a great opportunity to realise our shared goal of a Cambodian society that is more resilient, prosperous, sustainable and where no one is left behind. I am pleased to reaffirm our commitment to continue our support for an integrated, transparent and accountable social protection system including through the new UN Cooperation Framework for the period 2024-2028 that is currently being elaborated with you all. I believe that the fundamental point is this: there must be collective efforts - by the Government, by the community, by partners, the UN to bring social protection not only into law, but also into practice. This Social Protection Week is an excellent opportunity to take stock and chart the way forward. I wish you all very productive deliberations. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

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Press Release

24 May 2022

UNODC launches public information campaign to sensitize about the harmful consequences of gender-based violence in Phnom Penh

While the Royal Government of Cambodia has made significant efforts to combat gender-based violence (GBV), remaining challenges need to be addressed, such as the lack of knowledge on victim-centred police responses to GBV against women and other available support services. To help address these key barriers in Cambodia, the United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes (UNODC) Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with support from the German Federal Foreign Office, is launching a 6-month public information campaign today, aiming both at strengthening community-police relations and informing the public of available services to tackle GBV-related crimes. "UNODC is pleased to contribute to the National Action Plan for Prevention Violence Against Women (NAPVAW) 2019-2023 by means of this public information campaign. We aim to sensitize the harmful consequences of GBV in Phnom Penh and make people aware of the available services to victims. GBV does not only affect the victims, but it also damages the social fabric of the communities," emphasized Mr Esteban Felipe De La Torre, UNODC Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia. He further added that this campaign is part of a wider advocacy and awareness-raising initiative from a UNODC project that focuses on community policing approaches to reduce cases of GBV in high-risk areas in Phnom Penh. By working closely with the Cambodian National Police, the project also strives to build the capacity of frontline male and female police officers, to enhance existing mechanisms to detect, report and refer to incidences of GBV. With the support from the Municipal Department of Women Affairs and District/Khan Office of Social Affairs and Welfare, six communities in three Districts confronted with significant challenges related to GBV were identified, including Khan Dang Ko, Khan Po Senchey, and Khan Sen Sok. Targeting diverse audiences, especially women between the ages of 15 and 49, this public information campaign against GBV will reach out to the public by disseminating online and printed content. Prominent online influencers from various sectors will also amplify the campaign’s message. With the hashtag #SpeakUpAgainstViolence, the campaign entitled “Help is always available for you”, encourages victims and witnesses to overcome the cultural and social stigma associated with GBV and speak up by building positive sentiment toward seeking support when needed. Lieutenant General Chiv Phally, Director of Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Department, Cambodian National Police, and Ms Sar Sineth, Deputy Secretary-General, Ministry of Women’s Affairs of Cambodia, recognized champions against GBV, spoke at the event and emphasized the importance of reaching out to the most vulnerable communities. During her closing remarks at the launch, Dr Angelika Stauder, First Secretary and Deputy Head of Cooperation, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Phnom Penh, commented that: “The police alone cannot solve violence against women and girls. It is a societal problem which requires a societal response. However, the police do have unique powers and responsibilities to protect victims from further harm, pursue perpetrators and prevent crimes. I hope that this public information campaign launch is an important step in directing victims towards the available police service and safety resources.”

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Story

15 February 2023

Cambodian society will be strengthened by promoting diverse and independent journalistic voices.

UN Cambodia is committed to supporting the realization of all human rights. Today is a moment to reemphasize the importance of the fundamental right to freedom of expression and press, which is essential to building a cohesive and prosperous society, and the realization of the SDGs. Cambodian society will be strengthened by promoting diverse and independent journalistic voices. Comment by UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk after shutdown of independent media outlet in Cambodia

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Story

09 May 2022

Cambodian Women Returnees Strive to Thrive Despite the Pandemic

Cambodia has seen an increasing trend in migration over the last two decades pushed by better job prospects abroad and closer bilateral cooperation with neighbouring countries. Migrants make immense contribution to the Cambodian economy through regular remittances sent home and by enriching the labour market with skills picked up from abroad. Women are almost equal contributors to these benefits. Yet, they face disproportionate challenges in their migration journey and, when they return, faced with the family’s indebtedness and loss of income to repay their debts. Women migrant workers who returned to Cambodia due to the COVID-19 pandemic are more likely than men to face financial difficulties and be in debt[1]. According to the World Bank, the percentage of firms with female ownership in Cambodia is estimated the highest in the region[2]. Women’s ownership of businesses is highest in the micro- enterprise sector (62%), while only 26% of small and medium enterprises (SME) are owned by women[3]. In a post-COVID-19 environment, the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector is predicted to play an important role in socio-economic recovery, according to the Royal Government of Cambodia’s priority sectors for recovery. However, only a very small proportion of women entrepreneurs are well served in terms of financing their business, with most relying on family and informal sources, clearly indicating a gap in the provision of banking and microfinance institutions’ services. To minimize the overall economic impact, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) expedited rolling out a credit guarantee scheme to boost growth in the MSME sector. The sector is disproportionately made up of women entrepreneurs and is a major source of employment for women. A joint programme[4] implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and UN Development Programme (UNDP) aimed to modify the design of the policy and operations of the credit guarantee scheme to maximize the benefits to women entrepreneurs and employees and create more jobs, particularly for low skilled workers such as migrant women. A recent IOM report highlighted the urgent need to include reintegration pathways for returning migrant women to Cambodia, to enable them to contribute to the recovery in the MSME sector, considering the changes this sector is undergoing due to the impact of the pandemic. The economic empowerment effort should be set within an overall framework of an effective reintegration plan to ensure a smooth resettlement of the migrant women in the local economy and their social settings. Some of the small businesses set up by migrants before the pandemic continue to thrive and provide a much-needed economic contribution in their local communities. Here are three women working against the odds to run their businesses. Sakheam Sakheam (aged 42) returned to Cambodia in late September 2019, a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic started. She and her husband, Nge, migrated to Thailand in 2003 and worked in many sectors ranging from agriculture and construction to food businesses. When Nge suffered a knee injury, the couple spent their savings on his treatment. As an undocumented worker in Thailand, Nge could not access any state support. When it became clear that Nge would never fully recover from his injury which prevented him from returning to work, the couple decided to return to Cambodia and start their own business. “We agreed that we were too old to work for other people anymore,” said Sakheam, now back in Banteay Meanchey province, bordering the Thai province of Sa Kaeo. Having learned how to cook many traditional Thai dishes, Sakheam now runs her restaurant. Her cooking is recognized and admired by her neighbours and fellow villagers. She and her husband started their business by borrowing money from relatives and a bank. Despite the impact of the COVID-19, Sakheam’s business has been able to retain its regular customers and almost paid back her bank loan. Her goal is to invest in her business and expand the restaurant’s menu with time. Sorida Sorida’s business is another example of a successful social enterprise. She started a natural beauty product business in 2019. Her entrepreneurship is fueled by her concern for her nieces and nephews when their parents migrate due to work reasons. “It broke my heart to see them feel lonely when their parents left to work in Thailand, and they had to stay here in Cambodia with their grandparents’’. She is keen to make a living here in Cambodia so that her nieces and nephews can stay with their parents and support their families in their home country. Sorida also migrated herself to Thailand and after coming back after several months, she started her business by producing handmade facial soap from locally sourced ingredients. At the moment, the family business is run by three women, but Sorida plans to provide job opportunities to women, particularly migrant workers, as her business grows. By investing in learning new skills, Sorida’s business can now also supply a variety of products such as facial soap, facial oil, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, mosquito spray, and shower gel. Sorida recently participated in community outreach organized by IOM and the provincial employment agency aiming to improve migrants’ access to information on local employment opportunities. “Having the right skills and knowing the market is necessary when starting a business,” added Sorida. She also stressed the importance of following one’s passion, with commitment and hard work. “We all can start our business from existing resources at our disposal. We should not wait until we have everything: start first and learn along the way,” said Sorida. She has now opened a shop in Phnom Penh and her products are available in many outlets across Cambodia. She hopes to set up a factory in Banteay Meanchey province where she can employ migrant workers and support many more households. Saroum Saroum (aged 42) is a successful entrepreneur from Banteay Meanchey province. His business makes products made from coconut, including coconut juice, coconut jelly, and coconut coffee, with products now available in three big cities across Cambodia. Saroum employs over 70 people in his company, most of whom are migrant workers who returned from abroad. He finds it easier to work with returned migrant workers from Thailand because he can relate to their experience. Before starting his food business in 2019 in Banteay Meanchey, Saroum used to migrate to work in Thailand for more than 15 years, where he worked in the construction, gardening, and catering industry. The experience proved useful as he gained business management skills and became fluent in Thai. One of Saroum’s employees, Lisa (aged 27), has been working for his company for almost three years, currently as a finance officer. In her view, the company always provided equal opportunities to both male and female workers and did not discriminate against illiterate staff. But following one’s entrepreneurship dream is not always a linear path to success. When Saroum, returned to Cambodia in 2017, he started a seafood business which soon failed, but ‘failures are a good lesson learnt’, he says. He was determined not to give up and then switched to selling coconut products. Saoum, who, together with Sorida, participated in community outreach organized by IOM and the provincial employment agency, claimed that his flexibility, hard work and management skills have been crucial in growing his business. “The most important part of doing a business is knowing how to create, manage, solve problems, and be responsible,” he added. The United Nations Joint Programme “Unlocking Cambodian Women’s Potential through Fiscal Space Creation” was implemented in Cambodia between November 2020 and March 2022 by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The programme was funded by the United Nations Multi Partner COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund. [1] UNFPA, 2020: Rapid Assessment on Social and Health Impact of COVID-19 Among Returning Migrant Workers in Cambodia. Available at: https://cambodia.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/final_survey_report_rmw_rapid_assessment_20dec2020.pdf [2] International Finance Corporation (IFC), 2019: Exploring the Opportunities for Women-owned SMEs in Cambodia. Available at: https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/9e469291-d3f5-43a5-bea2-2558313995ab/Market+Research+Report+on+Women_owned+SMEs+in+Cambodia.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=mOU6fpx [3] Cambodia Inter-censal Economic Survey 2014 [4] funded by the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund

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Story

07 March 2022

Women’S Role in Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development in Cambodia

As a woman working in the field of industry in Cambodia, Ms. Panharith is a supervisor of health, safety, and environment of Wan He Da Manufacturing Company Limited in Cambodia. She has been working in this field for 7 years now. Ms. Panharith participated in a TEST Project training series organized jointly by UNIDO and the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MISTI) named “Low Carbon Development for Productivity and Climate Change Mitigation Through the Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies (TEST) Methodology” project which aim to encourage the factories in Cambodia to use the environmentally sound technologies to enhance their productions and at the same time reduce the carbon emission to the environment. Before joining the TEST Project, she observed that the factory she is working for had faced several issues such as high energy and water consumption and a medium level of efficiency in terms of material and waste management. As a result, the factory had had a high cost in the production line and more or less affected the environment. When the factory joined the “Low Carbon Development for Productivity and Climate Change Mitigation through the Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technology (TEST) Methodology” in 2019, one of the key projects under the framework of Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) of UNIDO, to which she was assigned as the factory focal point to obtain the technical supports and capacity building from UNIDO Team and MISTI on TEST Methodology and Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) assessment, to build the TEST Team at the factory, to implement the finding measures, and to obtain training on Environmental Management System (EMS) and Environmental Management Accounting (EMA); since then, she has supported and improved the Environmental Roadmap for better performance of factory production. “After gaining the knowledge from the number of training and assessments in the TEST Project, my team and I could improve our environmental performance by meeting the client requirements for instance improving the HIGG Score from 37% in 2018 to 60% in 2021”, Ms. Panharith added. Furthermore, as a measure implementer, Ms. Panharith has contributed to the improvement of environmental performance through the adoption of green or conserved practices by changing the users' behavior including using the Air-Conditioning at 25 °C instead of 18 or 20 °C, practicing good housekeeping on energy and water consumption, as well as properly managing and recycling waste. She also implemented green and efficient technology such as using LED instead of fluorescent lamps, properly maintaining the boiler, preventing air leakage, using an efficient driving system for the compressor, and also considering investing in Solar PV at the factory. “As a woman working in the field of environment, many tasks require my substantial contribution in terms of paperwork such as collecting, analyzing, reporting, and presenting data, as well as coordinating and managing work with the technical team in implementing the action plans or RECP measures. When I worked on the tasks, I sometimes experienced challenges on the technical parts like lacking skills and knowledge or facing dilemma in selecting the correct countermeasure on those issues”, she reported to the interviewer. To deal with the above challenges, Ms. Panharith and her team conducted team discussions, technical consultations, or improved staff’s competence and skills via capacity building programme. Addressing the challenges also helps the factory achieve its green goal since Wan He Da Factory is preparing for a higher standard of work. Importantly, she added, “occasionally, I can find innovative ways to implement those green measures”. “In brief, with my dedicated involvement in this factory and project, I can see that the factory’s business is growing gradually. The customers overseas namely the EU and US, just to name a few, are satisfied with our performance due to the increase in product ordering despite the COVID-19 outbreak; with this, it is contributing to the creation of more jobs for local workers”, she shared during the interview. Lastly, she signified her views that environmental protection is the responsibility of every individual without gender discrimination. As she said, “based on my experience, I think environmental work is very suitable for not just men but also women, and it contributes to personal, institutional, and community development. In the present and the future, green skills are important and relevant in supporting the manufacturing sectors in Cambodia”. Happy International Women’s Day!

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Story

03 March 2022

How Cash-Based Transfers help one family overcome multiple shocks

Sophal and his wife, Sophorn, run a small noodle-making business from their home, which sits next to the river and bore the brunt of the floods. “We couldn’t make noodles or travel anywhere to earn an income. It worried us so much, we didn’t know what to do to feed our young children, or if they were sick.” Sophal, a father of four living in Pursat province, is remembering his experience during the flash floods that affected nearly 800,000 Cambodians in October 2020. Like the ongoing pandemic, these floods disproportionately affected poorer people, and for families like Sophal’s, the two shocks compounded the challenge to his family’s livelihood and health. Sophal’s household income was hit particularly hard. The family usually earn most of their income by selling noodles to weddings and other major festivities in the neighbourhood, which left them acutely vulnerable. “Due to COVID-19, big events such as weddings and big ceremonies were not allowed to be celebrated. The number of orders dropped rapidly," Sophal recalls, estimating that they lost two-thirds of their income. When the heavy rains came, the river water level reached up to his knee inside the house for one whole month and they couldn't make noodles any longer or earn any income at all. The couple had to shut down their business and feeding the four children became a daily struggle. Sophal turned to fishing, but barely caught enough to keep the family fed. The floods in the house made the couple constantly fearful that one of the children might catch malaria, or other water-borne diseases, knowing they would then struggle to pay for them to travel for medical treatment. It was for vulnerable families like Sophal’s that the Royal Government of Cambodia provided support to vulnerable people affected by the pandemic through its COVID-19 cash transfer from early 2020. After the floods, the World Food Programme (WFP) also started providing supplementary cash transfers to 40,000 families affected by both the pandemic and floods, aware that they had been plunged into economic and food insecurity. This programme was supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which committed US$ 6 million. The intention was to compensate for losses, help families meet their minimum nutrition needs and mitigate the impact of further shocks – which are unfortunately likely for the millions living in Cambodia's flood-prone zones. “I first heard about the cash-based transfer programme through our village chief. I felt happy because it came when I needed it most," remembers Sophal. “Without this cash, I would have had to go into debt to my relatives and neighbours to feed our family, we would have had no choice.” Instead, the couple used the money not only to buy food, but also to re-establish the family business, and make it more resilient for the future. This included fixing their motorbike, which had fallen into disrepair. Without the motorbike, re-establishing the business was impossible, but once it was repaired, they were able to sell noodles and feed the family more adequately. Sophal and Sophorn are now more hopeful about the future than in a long time. Their business is operational again, and Cambodia's progress in vaccinating its population means that, they hope, weddings and other events will be possible, giving the family an income opportunity again. “In the future, we hope for nothing more than a proper home to raise our children.”

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Press Release

06 February 2023

IFAD, the UN’s rural development agency, and the Kingdom of Cambodia deepen partnership for inclusive agricultural growth

While Cambodia has seen a significant reduction in poverty over the last two decades, the poverty rate has climbed to 18 per cent (up from 10 per cent in 2019) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The war in Ukraine has led to higher costs for fuel and fertilizer, and has disrupted supply chains. Rural families, especially small-scale farmers, are particularly vulnerable. Three-fourths of all of Cambodia’s 6.8 million farmers are categorised as small-scale farmers and they struggle to achieve the scale and consistent quality of produce needed by export and domestic markets. Most supplement their incomes with non-farm wage labour. “From our experience in Cambodia, we know that there is great potential for small-scale farmers to be resilient and contribute in measurably significant ways to economic growth. This will require, among other things, investments in infrastructure, building value chains, irrigation facilities, creating markets and ensuring access to financial services. Additionally the private sector and farmers organizations must also play their role.” said Jyotsna Puri. “Also, with innovation and better and more use of mobile technology, rural families in Cambodia can build safer, healthier, more secure lives with improved livelihoods not just for themselves but for the rest of the population. As an IFI and as a UN organization, IFAD is well positioned to support the government in its planned growth trajectories, while ensuring no one is left behind.” IFAD has accompanied Cambodia’s development journey since the late 1990s, moving from recovery and ensuring food security to building institutions to now focusing on the market economy. Over the next decade, IFAD aims to contribute to a sustainable rural economy and ensuring that benefits reach the most marginalized communities. “Today, Cambodia’s small-scale farmers face multiple challenges, including volatile food and fuel prices and the effects of climate change,” said Reehana Raza. “Our goal is to enable small-scale farmers, and especially rural youth, to become more productive by improving their access to productive assets and skills, enabling them to earn increased, sustainable incomes while reduce their vulnerability to climate and other shocks,” she added. The delegation visited several project sites, including the Kandal, Kampong Speu and Kampot Provinces and saw first-hand the results of IFAD’s support. Across the four projects currently financed by IFAD, participants reported improved productive capacity, better links to markets, more opportunities for youth, and progress towards an enabling environment for export and domestic markets. For instance, at Khmer Green Charcoal in Phnom Penh, the delegation learnt how biochar briquettes from waste coconut husks and other waste biomass, is helping 3,000 chicken farmers provide bird warmth in brooders to reduce chick mortality, thus benefitting from higher incomes. Farmers have also replaced charcoal with the briquettes as cooking fuel, leading to less deforestation and pollution – as well as better health. The delegation also saw IFAD-supported small-scale infrastructure projects, such as collection points for farmers to sell produce to traders, irrigation projects and canal rehabilitation for disaster risk reduction, and better rural roads linking farms to markets. In addition to the prime minister, the delegation met Aun Pornmoniroth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance; Lim Kean Hor, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology; Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Ouk Rabun, Minister of Rural Development and other key partners from the United Nations system. Since 1996, IFAD has helped finance 12 rural development programmes and projects in the country for a total investment of US$950.48 million, of which US$309.08 million came from IFAD's own resources. These investments have benefited over 1.56 million households in Cambodia. Read more about our work in Cambodia here Press Release No.: IFAD/07/2023 IFAD is an international financial institution and a United Nations specialized agency. Based in Rome – the United Nations food and agriculture hub – IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided more than US$24 billion in grants and low-interest loans to fund projects in developing countries. A wide range of photographs and broadcast-quality video content of IFAD’s work in rural communities are available for download from our Image Bank.

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Press Release

29 December 2022

IN CAMBODIA WFP AND EDUCATION MINISTRY HOST COOKING CONTESTS TO CELEBRATE SCHOOL COOKS’ CONTRIBUTION

“The school meals programme has a proven impact on students’ health, growth and success in the classroom. School cooking contests are a fun way to recognize the hard work and dedication of the 3,000 school cooks in Cambodia’s school meals programme. The hot, nutritious breakfast they prepare every morning goes a long way towards a brighter future for the children of Cambodia,” said Claire Conan, WFP Representative and Country Director. “It is also a chance for the cooks to learn the importance of kitchen hygiene and food safety practices, share their cooking experience and grow their understanding of school meal requirements and the basics of nutrition,” said H.E. Yung Kunthearith, Deputy Director of the School Health Department. Starting in the 2016-2017 school year, the school meal cooking contest promotes healthy and nutritious school meals, while encouraging creativity in a cost-effective manner. Each cook is given US$5 to buy ingredients, and they must use at least three locally-produced ingredients and follow child nutrition guidelines to make a special dish. Meals are judged by a panel made of staff from the School Health Department and WFP on their originality, taste, texture and appearance. Additional points are rewarded for the presentation of the dish. Three winning cooks from each district will go to the final provincial-level competition where the ingredients and menu are revealed right before the cooking starts. Three best cooks will emerge and be awarded. A total of 15 winners from five districts in Pursat made it to the final round of competition at the provincial level and in Kampong Chhnang, 18 winners from the six districts moved to the final. The first-standing cook of each province received a US$150 prize, the second US$120 and the third US$100. The champion cooks also won their respective schools US$100 to be used to purchase school kitchen equipment. Today, there are more than 3,000 school cooks working in 1,113 schools under the School Feeding Programme. The breakfast they prepare serves some 300,000 pre-primary and primary school children across rural Cambodia. ### The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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Press Release

23 May 2022

WFP trains commercial rice mills on rice fortification

Production managers from 15 commercial rice mills are participating in the training, which will use a hands-on approach to demonstrate the blending process, equipment installation and operation, and quality assurance and control. “This training is a step forward in support of the national agenda on food fortification and responds to recommendations from the 2021 Food Systems Dialogue on commercializing fortified foods,” said H.E. Sok Silo, Secretary General of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development. Food fortification is the addition of important micronutrients to foods, like rice, to enhance its nutritional value safely and cost-effectively. While the fortification of salt, fish sauce, and soy sauce with iodine and/or folate has been practiced for a number of years in Cambodia, rice fortification is still relatively new to the country. In fact, it was with the support of WFP that fortified rice was first introduced in the national school feeding programme. “I believe it is a key step to unlock the nutrition issue in the country, where a majority of the population eats a large portion of rice on a daily basis,” added H.E. Sok Silo, emphasizing that Cambodia falls amongst the countries with the highest levels of rice consumption in the region. Though the regular white rice that is commonly consumed in Cambodia is a good source of energy, it lacks critical micronutrients like vitamin A, iron, and calcium that are prevalent in other foods like fruits and vegetables. As a result, many Cambodians are affected by micronutrient deficiencies, which can impact health, productivity, and learning capacity. A study on the economic consequences of malnutrition in Cambodia found that the cost related to malnutrition ranges between 250 and 400 million USD annually, of which over 134 million USD islost to micronutrient deficiencies alone. “The addition of vitamins or minerals to rice safely improves its nutritional quality and can be an effective way to fight micronutrient deficiencies among the poor without a need to change their food habits and taste,” said H.E. Mam Borath, Director of Nutrition Improvement Department of the Ministry of Planning, quoting a 2017 study by WFP that one fifth of Cambodian households cannot afford the least expensive adequate nutritious diet. Since 2010, WFP has been a leading partner to the government on rice fortification. Early acceptability studies showed that fortified rice was well-liked by teachers, parents, and school children around the country. Later, a randomized control trial with over 9,000 school children confirmed the positive impacts of fortified rice in improving the health and cognitive performance of children in rural districts. As a result, the government approved the use of fortified rice in the school meal programme in 2016. Three years later, WFP and Green Trade carried out the first in-country blending of fortified rice, which proved successful and paved the way for the current work supporting national rice millers to take on the blending process. “We congratulate the government for its partnership and support of this innovation. We are now at a stage in which we can scale up and ensure sustainable supplies of fortified rice in the country. We also thank USDA and DSM for their generous contributions, which have made this possible,” said Claire Conan, WFP Representative and Country Director. “By leveraging the use of fortified rice, we can ensure that nutritious foods can be afforded by everyone, particularly the poor and vulnerable, and help overcome malnutrition across the country, especially amongst women, children and lactating mothers.”

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