An elderly man registers for an ID Poor card, which will allow his to access a wide range of social support services. Prime Minister Hun Manet has called for the services to be expanded. Social Affairs Ministry
Prime Minister Hun Manet has urged the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation to expand social welfare services for the poorest and most vulnerable members of society and create conditions that allow families to build better lives.
“The ministry must continue to promote the implementation of national policies that strengthen and expand social welfare services for the poor and vulnerable and create opportunities for families to build better lives, in line with the development of society,” he said in a May 10 letter, circulated to mark the May 15 International Day of Families.
Manet urged the ministry to study and develop social service bridging programmes for poor families, as well as orphans, abandoned children, the helpless elderly, the disabled, the homeless and drug addicts.
He also called for the continued development of programmes that will improve the living standards of all people.
The prime minister called on all development partners, including both domestic and international NGOs, to be more active in supporting family development activities, both in terms of financial and human resources, in order to ensure the promotion of the well-being of all Cambodian families, especially at a time when the world is facing economic and geopolitical issues.
“All of the relevant ministries and state institutions, local authorities at all levels, the Cambodian Red Cross and philanthropists, please continue to promote the well-being of families. I would like to see you increase humanitarian activities in all possible ways, both through movements and actions, either directly or indirectly,” he said.
Yong Kim Eng, president of the People Center for Development and Peace, told The Post that Manet’s remarks were important, and regarded them as positive. It was good to hear the prime minister urge ministries to pay closer attention to strengthening social welfare, especially regarding health and social security funds, and other social services to help the poor and vulnerable.
“All of these are necessary factors in helping them to have jobs, live with their families and not have the need to migrate for work, among others,” he said.
“All of these things are important, but the most important thing is to introduce programmes with specific action plans to improve all those things, with specific indicators to measure the progress of the ministry’s plans and strategies. Otherwise, Manet’s vision will not come true,” he added.
Yang Poeu, secretary-general of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, applauded Manet’s statement, but called for the will to make it a real outcome, not just a political message, as the Cambodian people deserve equal opportunities in terms of welfare, education, employment, justice and other social services.
“This is the key to living in peace and harmony with each other. If we do not provide equity to every family, there will be no harmony,” he said.
“Peace but a lack of harmony could lead to greater social inequality and other problems,” he told The Post on May 10.
On May 10, the social affairs ministry issued a circular, instructing its entities to mobilise resources from national organisations, development partners and philanthropists to help support the most vulnerable members of society.
