Social Safety Nets in Cambodia

A "National Forum on Food Security and Nutrition under the theme of Social Safety Nets in Cambodia" will be organized on 6-7 July,The RGC has made a firm commitment to embark in a systematic and integrated social safety net (SSN) development in Cambodia. At the 2nd CDCF last December 2008, the Government and development partners noted that significant progress has been made in reducing overall poverty levels, but at the same time recognized that significant parts of population remain vulnerable to various economic and social shocks pushing them to poverty and denying equal opportunities for participating in the economic growth. Risks and vulnerabilities have been exacerbated by the recent inflationary pressures and global economic crisis. It is recognized that the establishment of an effective and affordable social safety net system is an important complementary part of a long-term growth strategy for Cambodia.

The Government assigned the responsibility to organize an inventory (mapping/scoping) of existing social safety nets and to develop an initial outline of social safety net policy options to the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD). An interim working group on SSN was established in February 2008 and in meetings bringing together a broad set of national stakeholders a concept note and inventory on Safety Nets in Cambodia was developed.

A National Forum on “Food Security and Nutrition under the Theme Social Safety Nets in Cambodia” will be held from 06 – 07 July 2009 at the Intercontinental Hotel, Phnom Penh. The forum is organized by the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) and involves all Ministries relevant with regard to social protection/social safety nets. The event is supported by the World Bank and the World Food Programme with technical assistance from various other Development Partners. The Forum will be opened by HE. Mr. Yim Chhai Ly, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of CARD and will be closed by the Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

This event is a unique partnership between RGC’s Ministries and Development Partners and will bring together about 350 invited high level government‘s officials at national and sub-national levels, diplomatic corps, international and civil society organizations to discuss for the first time the preliminary findings on the concept note and the mapping and scoping exercises and to generate policy recommendations and ideas for developing an affordable and effective social safety net for Cambodia.

Objectives

• Create a common understanding on Social Safety Nets (SSNs)/Social Protection and explain related issues, concepts and background.
• Present and review inventory (mapping/scoping) of existing SSNs in Cambodia and identify gaps against the background of existing vulnerabilities and new challenges (economic crisis).
• Outline and discuss menu of possible Social Safety Net policy options for Cambodia
• Discuss and outline the next steps to develop a more systematic and better integrated Social Safety Net Strategy