United Nations in Cambodia

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

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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

25 April 2023

The Annual UN and Prime Minister Dialogue resumes: a commitment to strengthening human capital development and resilience in Cambodia

On March 28th, 2023, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC), chaired by Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen, convened the 6th Annual Dialogue with the United Nations Country Team, led by the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Jo Scheuer. The Annual Dialogue is a high-level platform to review and reflect on the joint contributions between the UN and the government, discuss national development priorities, including progress towards achieving Cambodia’s Sustainable Development Goals (CSDGs) and to strengthen cooperation between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the UN system. During the dialogue, the UN Resident Coordinator updated the Prime Minister on joint progress in implementing the current UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2019 – 2023 and the development of the new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF 2024-2028) to support the national strategic development plan and to address key SDG priorities and gaps. The 2023 Annual Dialogue focused on 2 topics: (1) Strengthening Resilient Health System towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and (2) Expanding Coverage and Scope of Social Protection. The discussion focused on the Royal Government’s priorities and strategic directions for stronger resilient health systems towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and for developing and expanding the coverage of the social protection system that protects all people living in Cambodia, especially the poor and the vulnerable from life-cycle risks and shocks. The UN in Cambodia reiterated the commitment to support the Royal Government’s priorities in strengthening resilient health systems towards UHC in strategic areas including preparing health systems for the next health emergency and pandemic and strengthening primary health care as the most cost efficient and equitable pathway to UHC. On social protection, the UN highlighted the strategic approaches and the commitment to supporting the gradual expansion of the coverage, scope and quality of social protection to achieve a harmonized social protection system. The UN provides technical assistance to support policy development as well as support the expansion of social protection schemes including protection of the most vulnerable, the workers in both formal and informal economy, and health protection. The UN looks forward to continuing to build our partnership with the Government, and to mobilize collective efforts to support the Government’s priorities to accelerate the SDGs. The UN will continue to coordinate closely with relevant counterparts in the Royal Government of Cambodia in taking forward the recommendations and actions discussed during the dialogue. Opening Remarks by Mr Jo Scheuer, UN Resident Coordinator

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Story

31 March 2023

Cambodia positioned to fully integrate LGBT people into society, UN expert says

Cambodia is poised to make strides towards the full social integration of gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, protecting them from violence and discrimination, a UN-appointed independent human rights experts said on Friday 20 January 2023. In presenting his conclusions at the end of a 10-day visit to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Battambang, the UN independent expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal-Borloz, urged authorities to legally recognize LGBT families. “Without exception, State agents with whom I held conversations acknowledged that diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity was a trait inherent to humankind, and that all Cambodian citizens, including members of the LGBT community, were valued members of society who have the right to live in freedom and equality”, he said. Spillover discrimination The UN expert met with State representatives at national and provincial levels, civil society organizations and over 100 LGBT persons who shared their life experiences with him. “Before and during my visit I did not receive any information of massive or systematic physical violence against the people with whom I spoke, or persons known by them”, he stated. Mr. Madrigal-Borloz also noted that Cambodia does not have legislation explicitly criminalizing sexual orientation or gender identity, which gives him “an encouraging point of departure”. Based on the evidence presented to him, the UN expert concluded that violence and discrimination against LGBT persons originate in the family sphere, and spills over to life in school, the workplace, and also when accessing health services. Information shortfall A lack of data, however, creates great challenges in analyzing the challenges facing LGBT persons, and the design and implementation of measures to address them. Mr. Madrigal-Borloz in his statement, recommended adopting a series of measures, including more surveys and data collection, and highlighted as indispensable that concerned communities and civil society organizations fully participate in the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policy. The testimonies he received highlighted that in the Cambodian context, local communities identified legal recognition of their families as the key. This bears specific relation to deeply cherished values that reinforce family bonds and intergenerational respect and solidarity as part of the recognition of self-worth and social responsibility. Time for ‘swift progress’ “I encourage the State to make swift progress on this agenda”, he said, “advanced by Cambodian communities with clear point of reference in the realities of their lives and needs”. He said action should be guided by three principal commitments under consideration since 2019: “the recognition of LGBT families through the legal recognition of same-sex marriage, the legal recognition of gender identity, and the adoption of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation”. Independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not paid for their work.

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Story

31 March 2023

Cash-for-work assistance helping families with the most basic needs amid the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is leaving millions of Cambodian rural populations in need of extra supports to meet their immediate needs for survival. The movement restriction resulted from national measures to contain further spread of the virus has saved lives and protected the entire health care system in Cambodia from collapse, but severely affected economic activities, particularly the most vulnerable households. The loss of job and income, while the price of some important food products and services has increased, adversely disrupts ability of most vulnerable households to meet their basic needs such as food, water, medicines, leading to an increase of food insecurity. “I need to spend less and reduce daily intake, as I do not have any income. Before the COVID-19, my family spent at least USD 4 a day for food and for my children to spend on some snacks at school. But, for now, I spend less than USD 2.5 or USD 2.5 at most for food,” said Sok San, a construction worker and father of three children living in Domrey Chhlorng village, Khna Po Commune, Sotr Nikum district, Siem Reap Province. He continued, “a few months in the raining season, maybe starting from June or July, we start to run out of rice from our stock.” From the same village, Yoeum Khorn, a 42-year-old mother of seven children, who is a woman-headed household, makes a living and feeds all of her children through a seasonal casual job in the community she lives. She lost her income when she could not go to work at the cassava field, which is located very far from her village. “I normally go to work at the cassava field with other villagers. We go there via a vehicle, which belongs to another villager. But with the travel restriction and little accident happened to the vehicle’s owner, there is no other mean for transportation, so I have to stay in the village.” As she owns not even a small piece of land for rice farming, Khorn’s family receives 30 Kg of rice per month through a charity. With funding support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), has joined hands with local partners to implement a 20-month project to directly support the most affected families by the COVID-19 crisis, including the poor and vulnerable households, small-scale farmers, returning migrant workers and unemployed casual workers in provinces of Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey. To mitigate the economic effects of the ongoing CVID-19 pandemic, the project provides short-term and temporary employment opportunities to the poorest and food-insecure households through activities under cash-for-work scheme, including rehabilitation of irrigation, allowing families involved to receive some amount that can help them to pay for food and medicine and save for education of their children. San and Khorn has received around USD 150 each from their works in rehabilitating an irrigation and construction of three intake structures at Ou Romdeng’s irrigation scheme in Sotr Nikum district supported by the project. “I used the money I got from this [cash-for-work] activity to buy some kilograms of rice, spend on some medicines for my wife, and buy new study bag for one of my children as it was already so ragged, and a few books,” said Sok San. Khorn said that, “I decided to buy a dining table, save some amount to cover the study of five of my children who are still enrolling in school, and I am so content that I am now able to pay for zinc to complete the remaining space of my home’s wall.” As IDPoor households, San and Khorn have also benefited from the Cambodian’s government cash transfer programme for the poor and vulnerable households during the pandemic, where they have received around USD 50 monthly to ease their economic impacts of the pandemic. They reported to use this amount to clear some debts and the rest is to cover their basic needs. As of 24 October 2021, the national cash transfer programme benefits 678 459 households, with a total transfer of USD 470 million. This programme will continue until September 2022. Although San and Khorn do not have any rice plots, they are so happy with the project supports to rehabilitate the Ou Rumdeng irrigation scheme, as they can earn income to meet their immediate needs while at the same time, contribute to social work for the benefits of their community. Ou Rumdeng irrigation scheme was identified by local authorities and communities as a priority for rehabilitation. The project supported rehabilitation of a tertiary canal of 570 meters long and construction of three intake structures through cash-for-work. In addition, a secondary canal of 1 300 meters in length is being rehabilitated through machinery. Mr Sea Seat, Damrey Chhlorng village chief, claimed that the rehabilitation of the Ou Rumdeng irrigation scheme will provide longer-term benefits. It will greatly support agricultural production and fishing for family consumption. The common areas covered by this irrigation scheme is about 91.3 ha covering four villages of Khna Po commune, benefiting about 682 households (3,149 people, 50% women). Farmers whose paddy fields are located along the canal will have a better access to water and able to double rice crop a year as well as growing other subsidiary crops The project supports approximately 500 households like San and Khorn in both target provinces with cash-for-work assistance, which activities are extended to helping forestry communities to promote Assisted Natural Regeneration of forests (ANR), a simple, low-cost restoration method that can enhance productivity and ecosystem functions of degraded lands, before the project ends in July 2022.

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Press Release

12 May 2023

Cambodia Joins Global Partnership to Reaffirm Its Commitment Towards a Green and Inclusive Economic Transformation

Being an alliance of five United Nations (UN) agencies, PAGE is increasingly recognized as a model for delivering coordinated support of the UN to countries for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets of the Paris Agreement. PAGE’s unique value proposition is its focus on “upstream” economic policies that have the potential to eventually move the whole of the economy on a more sustainable trajectory. Supported by the European Union (EU), Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Korea, the project in Cambodia will span over five years, including a one-year inception phase that will be concluded by mid-2023. To ensure that its support in Cambodia is fully aligned with existing strategies and programmes, PAGE has engaged the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) to conduct a scoping study. This study is to identify opportunities and options for macro-economic and sectoral policy reform including high-impact sectors such as garment manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, and finance that can enable a green economy transition. Representing the Minister of Environment and Chair of the National Council for Sustainable Development at the event, H.E. Dr. Paris Chuop, Under Secretary of State, stressed that Cambodia has already demonstrated its commitment to green economy principles as a means to promote sustainable development and the economic, social and environmental balance within the Kingdom of Cambodia. With its strong commitment, Cambodia developed National Policy on Green Growth and National Strategic Plan on Green Growth 2013-2030, as well as the Environment and Natural Resources Code and submitted its Long-Term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality (LTS4CN) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Thereby, joining this global partnership will leverage the country’s efforts in mobilizing additional support in terms of new and advanced knowledge and finance to expedite the transformation towards an inclusive green economy. Mr. Asad Naqvi, Head of PAGE secretariat, elaborated on a unique strength of PAGE programme which brings together expertise in economic growth, employment, industrial competitiveness, national development planning and finance, and capacity building. Those are key ingredients needed for the transformation of the whole economy and finance. "Transforming the economy is not an easy task that can be accomplished by a single institution." "We are proud of Cambodia's application because it brought together the big set of ministries, private sectors, civil society organizations, academia, and research institutions, which is what is needed for transformation," he continued. Speaking on behalf of the five UN agencies supporting the implementation of PAGE Cambodia, Mr. Narin Sok, UNIDO's Country Representative, reiterated the Joint UN commitment to work closely with relevant line Ministries to ensure that PAGE Cambodia contributes to promoting green and inclusive economic growth in Cambodia. The implementation of PAGE programme is fully aligned with and will contribute to the realization of the overall objectives of new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2024-2028. The event brought together 100 participants from various relevant ministries, private sectors, civil societies, academia, national research institutions and development partners. It concluded at 17 :00 PM. Note: The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is a global flagship initiative involving five UN agencies, including the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in responding to the growing need for coordinated action to address the challenges of sustainable development and climate change following the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil held in 2012. PAGE is supported by the generous contributions of its partners. Their support, financial and in-kind contributions are integral to enabling countries to transform their economies into drivers of sustainability. PAGE funding partners include the European Union, Germany, Finland, Norway, Korea, Sweden and Switzerland. Further details about PAGE can be found: https://www.un-page.org/ The PAGE project in Cambodia is coordinated by UNITAR. The coordinating Government institution is the Department of Green Economy. PAGE Cambodia Focal Point:
Ms. Rachana Kong National Project Coordinator
Email: rachana.kong@unitar.org
Phone: +855 12 644 649 UNITAR Focal Point:
Ms. Amrei Horstbrink
Senior Specialist,
Green Development and Climate Change Programme
Email: amrei.horstbrink@unitar.org

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Press Release

09 May 2023

WFP AND CAMBODIAN PARTNER LAUNCH US$3 MILLION INNOVATIVE PROJECT TO SUPPORT SMALLHOLDER FARMERS

With funding from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme and CACC – respectively US$1.79 million and US$1.1 million, the project aims to enhance the resilience and livelihoods of smallholder farmers through organic agriculture and access to markets. It also seeks to promote improved nutrition and gender equity through social behavior change approaches, designed to generate demand for healthy diets and tackle harmful social norms. “The project was designed in the COVID-19 context and adopted an innovative public-private-producer partnership approach, underscoring the need to leverage private-sector investment, strengthen policy dialogue, secure the necessary know-how and support more environmentally sound, socially equitable and economically viable development,” said Claire Conan, WFP Representative in Cambodia. CACC will build an inclusive and integrated organic food value chain and incentivize smallholder farmers, including women and indigenous population, to switch to the organic farming approach using only natural fertilizers and pesticides, coupled with other climate-smart practices. “The prices of organic food are higher and more stable than traditional commodities, creating opportunities for higher profit margins and steadier sources of income,” said Kunthy Kann, CACC managing director, noting that smallholder farmers of Mondulkiri tend to restrict their cultivation to rice, employing largely traditional rotation farming practices, making their yields vulnerable to climatic and other types of shocks. “Our goal is to increase the participating farmers’ incomes by up to 20 percent, compared to typical farm gate returns,” Kann added, illustrating that CACC will facilitate market linkages to ensure this, and the farmers will be able to use the premiums earned to better safeguard against future shocks and stresses. “Increased income will play an important role in facilitating better nutrition as households can access more diverse and healthy foods, siding away the negative impacts of shock-induced damages on their household nutrition,” said Conan, noting that the connections between livelihoods and nutrition are of particular significance given the high poverty and malnutrition levels in the targeted area. “To tackle the issues, the project will deploy social behavior change communication to influence food behaviors and gender equality in the households,” said Conan, adding that to engage women in the project is a key transforming factor because in Cambodia, women play a lead role in households’ food management and make up over half of the agricultural labor force countrywide despite facing many difficulties in terms of access to land, extension services, financial services, market and technology. # # # 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. Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media

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Press Release

30 April 2023

Value Chain Investment Support to Enhance Cambodian SMEs’ Competitiveness and Market Access

Solar dryer domes and solar panels are examples of green technologies promoted under Value Chain Investment Support (VCIS), while the equipment and materials include water treatment machines, packing machines, hot air dryer machines, rapid freezers, cold storage facilities, and so on. This handover was also to recognize the enterprises that have completely upgraded their facilities and met the national food safety requirements. The ceremony was also to award the selected enterprises with VCIS technical assistance on food safety compliance, business and market development, market linkages, and social and environmental management plan. They are ready to implement their business plan, which was approved by the VCIS multi-stakeholder investment committee. The Equipment Handover and Awards Ceremony is part of the VCIS scheme launched in August 2021. As of now, twenty-eight enterprises in Cambodia’s post-harvest fisheries have been selected for technical and investment support. As one of the critical interventions under the CAPFISH-Capture project, co-funded by the European Union (EU), VCIS is a co-investment scheme that incentivizes enterprises in Cambodia’s post-harvest fisheries to upgrade their business operations and implement food safety and social and environmental standards. At least 200 fisheries processing enterprises are targeted for the support to improve competitiveness and market access. VCIS will continue to support more qualified enterprises based on their interest and co-investment commitment. Cambodia’s fisheries value chain is mainly represented by micro and small informal enterprises, which are fragmented and constrained by a lack of access to finance, technologies, markets, and tailored business development technical support. They produce a variety of agri-food and fish and fishery products with inadequate hygienic and food safety practices, hence struggling to compete with both imported products and in global markets. However, Mr. Gunther Beger, Managing Director of UNIDO’s Directorate for SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation, sees it as an opportunity for the Kingdom. He commented that “through the flagship of the EU-funded CAPFISH programme, this issue gives us a big opportunity to promote green industrialization and build sustainable value chains for poverty reduction and job creation to make the agri-food sector the engine for growth and prosperity in the country.” Speaking at the ceremony, H.E. Carmen Moreno, Ambassador of the European Union to Cambodia, highlighted the importance of “contributing together to the development of a greener, more competitive and connected economy, and to promoting Cambodian Small- and Medium Enterprises’ integration into ASEAN and global markets. To achieve this goal, compliance with food safety standards, such as certification systems, is essential” and “needed to access any market, and get ready for the most valuables markets, such as the European Union”. H.E. Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), emphasized the importance of the fisheries sector in Cambodia and appreciated the CAPFISH programme as a strong support from the European Union to the RGC. He commented that “CAPFISH supports are in line with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) policy to promote food safety and access to the international markets and improve the fishery value chain which mainly focuses on upgrading post-harvest fisheries operations and controlling the quality and safety of the fish and fishery products. The event demonstrates the strong partnership between the public, private sector, and development partners working together to make Cambodia’s fish and fishery products more competitive to reach international markets.” We believe that the success of the VCIS intervention can be replicated for other agricultural commodities rather than just fish and fishery products. “It is in line with the European Union’s commitment to supporting a green economy in Cambodia by focusing on food, agriculture, and forests sector, including the agro-processing industry,” added H.E. Carmen Moreno. Ends – For more information, please contact: Dr. Chhoun Chamnan, of Department of Fisheries Post-harvest Technologies and Quality Control (DFPTQ) of the Fisheries Administration (FiA): chhounchamnan@gmail.com Mr. Samruol IM, National Communication and Visibility Expert for the CAPFISH-Capture project: S.IM@unido.org Ms. Pok POUN, Press and Information Officer at the EU Delegation to Cambodia: Pok.POUN@eeas.europa.eu

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Press Release

10 April 2023

Despite impressive treatment results, Cambodia’s HIV response must address inequalities affecting children and young key populations

“Cambodia has made strong progress toward ending the AIDS epidemic, but inequalities are still stalling progress. These updated HIV estimates equip us to better understand the impact that gender and age-related inequalities, inequalities faced by key populations, and inequalities between children and adults have had on the national HIV response,” said Senior Minister and Chair of National AIDS Authority, Excellency Ieng Mouly. By the end of 2022, estimated 76 000 (63 000-85 000) people were living with HIV (PLHIV) and of which 74 000 (61 000 – 83 000) were adults 15 years and older and about 2000 (1600-2400) were children (0-14 years). 86% of all PLHIV knew their HIV status and estimated 11 000 people did not know that they were living with HIV. Cambodia’s achievements in attaining the highest linkage to treatment services with high level of viral suppression rate among PLHIV are exemplary. As of December 2022, 64 931 PLHIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy and it translates to 99% of PLHIV who knew their status were accessing treatment, and 98% of PLHIV on treatment were virally suppressed. “A clear strength of the Cambodian HIV response is its ability to link people to treatment services once they have been diagnosed, retain them on treatment and maximise the benefits of having people with an undetectable viral load who then are not able to transmit HIV. Now we must work to reach those not accessing testing services by scaling up approaches such as community-based testing and self-testing,” said NCHADS Director, Dr. Ouk Vichea. It is estimated that there were 1400 (1200-1500) new HIV infections in 2022, which translates to about four people become infected with HIV every day. New HIV infections have been reduced by 91% since the peak of the HIV epidemic in 1996 but the pace of decline has been slowing down and only 33% reduction as compared to 2010. New HIV estimates indicated that increasing proportion of new HIV infections are among men and boys; they accounted for 79% all new HIV infections in 2022. By population, 83% to total new HIV infections are among key populations (female entertainment workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender women, people who use and inject drugs) and their sexual partners. “While HIV infections have decreased significantly among women, they are increasing among men, and particularly young gay men,” said Patricia Ongpin, Director of UNAIDS Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Malaysia office. “To bend the curve of new HIV infections, we need focused interventions to increase HIV knowledge as well as access to prevention and testing services for young key populations. We need to explore new ways of working to provide HIV related services to those not yet reached.” Two critical concerns are the ongoing cases of HIV transmission to babies as well as the low service access for children living with HIV. One of ten pregnant women living with HIV did not access prevention of mother-to-child treatment services last year. The country’s transmission rate from mothers to children remains high at almost ten percent (9.9%). Additionally, just 59% of children living with HIV have been diagnosed and were on treatment in 2022. “The latest data tell us we must prioritize elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission urgently while working to ensure that the children who are infected are not left behind,” Ms. Ongpin said. The Cambodian Policy to Eliminate AIDS includes a raft of measures including increased national investments, deepened community engagement, international cooperation to close prevention gaps and increasing access to social security and healthcare for vulnerable people. The new HIV data will help finetune these approaches, ensuring resources and services are tailored and targeted to those who need them most. Contact H.E. Dr. Chhim Khindareth, Secretary General of NAA, Mobile phone: 085 836 767, Email: khindareth@naaa.gov.kh Dr. OUK Vichea, Director of NCHADS, Mobile phone: 012 51 24 25, Email: oukvichea@nchads.org Patricia Ongpin | OngpinP@unaids.org | UNAIDS Multi-country Office for Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Malaysia | tel. + 855 2321 9340 | unaids-ap.org | unaids.org

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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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