Aun Pornmoniroth opens Cambodia Social Protection Week 2024 on March 12. Social Protection Cambodia
Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth has highlighted the crucial role the National Social Protection Policy Framework 2016-25 has played in orienting the development of Cambodia’s social protection systems.
As of the beginning of 2024, around 42 per cent of the Kingdom’s population has been covered by some form of protection.
Pornmoniroth, chair of the National Social Protection Council (NSPC), addressed the March 12 opening ceremony of the 2024 Social Protection Week.
The week-long series of forums is being held under the theme “We will continue to build our social protection systems for sustainability and resilience”. This year’s event is the third to be marked since the establishment of the NSPC in 2017.
He explained that in response to global developments, as well as a mid-term assessment of the policy framework, the government recognises the necessity of updating it to the “NSPC: 2030 vision”, with the goal of developing the Kingdom’s social protection systems.
“We will strengthen these systems by focusing on expanding coverage according to the current possibilities and circumstances, while exercising caution so we do not turn Cambodia into a welfare state,” he said.
He continued that the NSPC will continue to move the Kingdom closer to universal health coverage (UHC), a key policy of phase one of the government’s Pentagonal Strategy.
“This priority policy has not only expanded the scope of healthcare to around nine million people, but also laid out a roadmap for expanding the scope of covering fundamental healthcare services and financial protection,” he said.
He added that the week of forums will provide an opportunity to gather valuable inputs through wide-ranging discussions, improving good governance.
Pen Sopakphea, chair of the NSPC executive committee, explained that investment in social protection had increased from around one per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018 to three per cent in 2022, increasing coverage from 26.5 per cent of the population in 2018 to 42 per cent in 2022.
“This reflects the commitment of the government to building inclusive protection systems,” she said.
“As of the end 2023, there were 6.6 million beneficiaries, equal to 42 per cent of the population. The system is gradually expanding,” she added.
According to Sopakphea, some of the current social protection systems include cash support for mothers-to-be and children under 2, which currently benefits 362,903 individuals, as well as school meal programmes at 553 schools in 10 provinces, which benefit 148,787 students and 1,748 cooks.
Also included within the system are scholarships for 263,751 primary and secondary school students from impoverished families.
