Cambodia

 

Despite the legacy of war, in recent years, the Royal Government has signalled a commitment to and taken steps towards a more comprehensive social protection system. New legislation and strategies have been formulated and institutional structures built to expand the coverage of social security, social assistance and health.

Cambodian public spending on social protection has been on the rise: in 2007, approximately 3% of the GDP (in current prices Riel) was spent. While the Government's fiscal space for increasing social spending is constrained, development partners and NGOs have provided valuable support, with the help of which a range of public social assistance projects and programmes, such as the health equity funds, school feeding and food-for-work initiatives, have been introduced.

The Royal Government is assuming a stronger ownership of the coordination, execution and funding of social protection, as reflected in several recent policy documents. Most recently, the National Social Protection Strategy for the Poor and Vulnerable (NSPS), published in 2011, reaffirmed the commitment to universalising basic transfers and services, based on the expansion of the existing social protection measures and the introduction of new schemes. It builds on prior commitments, such as those found in the Constitution, the Rectangular Strategy for Growth, Employment, Equity and Efficiency Phase II, the National Strategic Development Plan Update 2009-2013, and international conventions to which Cambodia is a signatory. The NSPS is to guide the horizontal and vertical extension and harmonisation of social protection in the coming years.

Total population : 14.5 million
(UN Population Division | World Population Prospects, 2012)
GDP per capita (PPP US $) : 2372
(World Bank | WDI, 2011)
GDP growth (in %) : 6.9
(World Bank | WDI, 2011)
Human Development Index (HDI) : 0.523 [Rank: 139]
(UNDP | Human Development Indicators, 2011)
Total expenditures on health as % of GDP : 5.6
(WHO | WHO Statistical System, 2010)
Public expenditure on health as % of GDP : 2.1
(WHO | WHO Statistical System, 2010)
Govt. expenditure on health as % of total govt. Expenditure : 10.5
(WHO | WHO Statistical System, 2010)
Health expenditure not financed out of pocket by private households (% total health expenditure) : 59.6
(WHO | WHO Statistical System, 2010)
Public social security expenditure (including health) as % of PIB : 2.68
(ADB | Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific, 2010)
Share of population above the statutory retirement age benefiting from an old-age pension : 5
(ILO Social security inquiry, 2010)

Social security schemes and programs by branch

 

 

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RESOURCES

Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey 2010
National Institute of Statistics, Directorate General for Health, 2011
Health Strategic Plan for Cambodia 2008-2015
Ministry of Health, Cambodia, 2008
Sub-Decree Concerning the Establishment of National Security Fund - Cambodia
Government of Cambodia, 2007

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WORKSPACES

National Policy Dialogue, 28-29 March 2012, Cambodia
South-South Cooperation in Cambodia
Training workshop "Extending Social Protection and Promoting Employment in Cambodia", Phnom Penh, November 02-04th, 2011

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Links

Improving Social Protection and Promoting Employment
International Labour Organization, 2012

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