Press release – Phnom Penh, 22nd February 2023. The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and NGO GRET inked a new Memorandum of Understanding with Agence Française de Développement (AFD) yesterday morning for a new project that aims to explore the feasibility of extending social security coverage to agriculture workers in Cambodia, who are among the most vulnerable to climate change.
In the midst of climate change, agriculture workers are extremely prone to risks and vulnerabilities because issues arising will impact food production, income, nutrition, and health, as more than 70% of the population are not covered by social security. The Cambodian agricultural sector is largely lacking any access to social health insurance. The new “Strengthening Adaptive Social Insurance in Cambodia” project will study the conditions necessary for the inclusion of agriculture workers and support further activities to realize the ambition for a comprehensive social security program.
The project will be conducted by the NSSF with technical assistance from GRET and the support of AFD. Within the past several years, cooperation focused on enabling vulnerable groups’ registration to the social security schemes. This new collaboration aims to strengthen the capacity of the NSSF for sustainable extension of the coverage of climate-proof social security schemes, in particular to the agricultural sector, in a logic of climate change adaptation.
“We look forward to furthering the active collaboration with the NSSF and continuing the dialogue with AFD on the horizon of Social Security for all workers and Social Protection for all citizens in Cambodia. We expect this collaboration to be an opportunity to bring more partners to the table, with a view to starting this endeavor together” said Mrs. Socheata Keo, Country Representative of GRET Cambodia. GRET has been a prominent actor in the social security sphere in Cambodia. Having conducted a first project with garment factory workers in 2008, GRET recently helped pilot the extension of social security to informal sector workers with a focus on two groups: tuk-tuk drivers and domestic workers. A spinoff from this project will also engage with workers in the food, beverages and transportation industry.
H.E Sophannarith Heng, Deputy Director General at the NSSF, expressed his commitment regarding the ongoing activities at the event: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank AFD for providing support to the NSSF financially and GRET for implementing the “Social Protection: Innovation for the Informal sector” project to extend the health care social security scheme to Tuk-tuk drivers successfully and fruitfully.”
AFD has been a long-term partner of the NSSF and GRET, providing support for the development of Cambodia including social security system development. Mr. Rémy Rioux, Chief Executive Officer of AFD Group, praised the clear perspectives and commitments of the country. “Net zero by 2050 on the one hand and Universal Health Coverage on the other. No surprise that these two priorities go hand in hand” he remarked during the signing event as part of his visit to Cambodia. Meanwhile, Mr. Rioux also spent some time visiting other projects implemented by GRET concerning water, sanitation, and food systems.
About
GRET is an international solidarity organisation that aims to reconcile satisfaction of essential needs, social
rights and environmental imperatives. Since 1976, its teams have been implementing the most locally appropriate solutions and partnerships to improve populations’ living conditions while preserving our planet. GRET works in approximately thirty countries on three continents, for the most vulnerable people. Its actions, led by long-standing, sustainable structures in its countries of intervention, are based on co-construction with communities and a vast network of partners. By sharing its experiences and knowledge, GRET also contributes to evolutions in development policies and practices. In Cambodia, GRET has been present since 1988 and is working currently in the following sectors: essential services, food systems, land governance, and nutrition, health and social protection.
Press contact:
Chav An Chin, Regional Communication Officer, +855 (0)17 70 72 21, chav-an.cambodia@gret.org
