Social protection situation

Cambodia developed a National Social Protection Policy Framework 2016 – 2025 (NSPPF), with the long term vision of building an effective and financially sustainable system which serves as a policy tool to reduce poverty, vulnerability, and inequality, while at the same time boosting human development and national economic growth.

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF), launched in 2007, manages national social insurance schemes covering work injury, (and since 2016) health insurance including sickness and maternity for workers in large enterprises (more than 8 employees) and as of 2018, workers in SMEs. The fund currently covers 2.6 million workers (2020).

Social assistance for poor and vulnerable people is mostly provided on a small scale by donors and non-governmental organizations. All programs use the Identification of Poor Households Programme (IDPoor), a social registry administered by the Ministry of Planning (MoP).

COVID-19

Government social protection measures to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 include implementing a temporary cash transfer scheme for poor families identified through the government's Identification of Poor Households Program (IDPoor). The cash transfer is for approximately 560,000 households, providing between US$10 and US$50.

Government priorities

• The government's main aim is to successfully roll-out the NSPPF nationwide and to prioritize the expansion of contributory schemes to uncovered workers and the informal economy.
• COVID-19 caused Cambodia to delay the launch of contributory and non-contributory pensions. This will be a priority once the economic impact of the pandemic has been properly evaluated. The ILO has supported the whole process, from the drafting of the law to organizing consultations with social partners.

• Advancing Social Protection in Cambodia
  01.02.2021 - 31.12.2024 USD 1,043,093 European Union
  Display expected outcomes
  • Outcome 1 – A higher percentage of workers are covered by social security schemes
  • Outcome 2 - Increased inclusion and coverage of the vulnerable population in social assistance and complementary programmes promoting improved livelihoods and well-being
  • Outcome 3  Social security organisations are modernised through ICT applications, improved business processes, data sharing, performance management and a learning & development framework
• Improving Synergies between Social Protection and Public Finance Management (ILO component)
  01.10.2019 - 31.05.2023 USD 11,938,812 European Union
  Display expected outcomes
  • Outcome 1 - Improved design and monitoring of SP programs and increased use of evidence on SP impact system contributes to increased coverage of social protection
  • Outcome 2 - Social Protection institutions enhance their planning, budgeting and M&E capacities in alignment with the Public Finance Management Reform Programme
  • Outcome 3 - Service providers at sub-national level (SNAs) are better able to implement social protection services

During the first phase of the Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All (2016-2020), the ILO has mainly been active in contributory social protection, working closely with the NSSF. It has assisted policy development and drafting of laws, conducted actuarial studies to assess the fiscal position of existing schemes and estimate costs of new ones, and engaged in capacity building activities for the NSSF and social partners to improve organization, collaboration, and accountability.

For more details on ILO contributions to country results, see below.

• The Pension Scheme of the National Social Security Fund as been approved
  KHM226 31.03.2021
  • Number of persons entitled to social protection by law : 2,000,000
• An emergency COVID-19 cash transfer programme was lauchned
  KHM226 12.06.2020
  • Number of persons effectively covered(related SDG indicator 1.3.1) : 1,020,000
• A child grant has been introduced
  KHM226 16.02.2020
• A Monitoring and Evaluation Manual for social protection has been developed
  KHM226 31.12.2019
• The law on social security was adopted
  KHM226 31.12.2019
• NSSF implemented an awareness and communication campaign
  KHM226 31.12.2019
• A modernization plan of the National Social Security Fund has been developed
  KHM226 31.12.2019
• The National Social Protection Council and the respective Executive Committee and General Secretariat were established and functional
  KHM226 31.12.2018
• The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) tripartite board endorsed the ILO recommendations on the operational review of the NSSF
  KHM226 31.03.2018
• An actuarial report has been finalized and officially submitted to the Government in November 2017.
  KHM226 01.11.2017
• The National Social Protection Policy Framework (NSPPF) 2016-2025 was approved by the Council of Ministers of Cambodia on 24 March 2017.
  KHM226 24.03.2017
• The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) launched its health insurance scheme in 2016.
  KHM226 31.12.2016
  • Number of persons effectively covered(related SDG indicator 1.3.1) : 600,000
• Social protection expenditure and performance review (SPER), costing of National Social Protection Strategy (NSPS), and an action plan towards integrated employment and social protection policies developed, in consultation with employers' and workers' organizations in 2011 and 2012.
  KHM176 31.12.2013
• National Social Protection Strategy (NSPS) for the Poor and Vulnerable adopted in March 2011 by the Cabinet of Ministers.
  KHM176 31.12.2011
• The NSPS aims to relieve chronic poverty and food insecurity, assisting the poor to cope with shocks and building human capital for the future, to help break the cycle of poverty.
  KHM176 31.12.2011
• ILO's policy recommendations to the government take into account views expressed by social partners during the tripartite workshops
  KHM176 31.12.2011
• Generated social security statistics for inquiry on social security
  KHM176 31.12.2009
• Cambodia implemented an employment injury insurance scheme
  KHM176 31.12.2009
• The King signed Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation.
  KHM176 31.12.2009
• The government coordinated Ministerial Initiative Against Trafficking and endorsed Mekong Guidelines on Recruitment Policy and Practice.
  KHM176 31.12.2009
• The governement launched first national OSH programme.
  KHM176 31.12.2009

• US$720,000: Build a culture of social security and register up to 1.5 million SME workers.
• US$1,000,000: Extend coverage to the agricultural sector, potentially extending coverage to up to 3.5 million people.

• Cambodia: Cambodia Establishes Social Insurance Pension Program for Private-Sector Employees
  22.09.2021
• Cambodia: Cambodia Issues Additional Support for Workers and to Revive Economy
  28.01.2021
• Cambodia: Gov’t grants two-month extension of IDPoor aid scheme
  28.01.2021
• Cambodia: Gov’t Launches New Cash Transfer Scheme to Assist IDPoor Families During COVID-19
  28.01.2021
• Cambodia: More Incentives, Obligations Announced for Businesses in Cambodia in Tourism, Garment Industries
  28.01.2021
• Cambodia: រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី វង សូត នាំយកគ្រឿងឧបភោគបរិភោគ ប្រគេនព្រះសង្ឃតាមទីវត្តអារាម និងប្រជាជនក្រីក្រ ក្នុងស្រុកពញាក្រែក ខេត្តត្បូងឃ្មុំ និងឃុំជាច ស្រុកកំចាយមារ ខេត្តព្រៃវែង តាមអនុសាសន៍សម្តេចតេជោនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី។
  28.01.2021

See all

• Improving Social Protection and Promoting Employment. An ILO/EU project
  Private

  25.01.2011
• Protecting Garment Sector Workers: Occupational Safety and Health and Income Support in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
  28.01.2022