Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has reiterated Cambodia’s support for the ASEAN Comprehensive Framework on Care Economy, introduced in 2021.
‘In fact, the policy of my administration – the Pentagonal Strategy-Phase I – shares the same missions and objectives, notably on the efforts to provide social protection for all. Recently, we have just launched the Roadmap towards Universal Health Coverage 2024-2035,’ he said in his recorded remarks for the third ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit hosted by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in Vientiane on Aug. 23 under the theme ‘Strengthening Care Economy and Resilience towards ASEAN Community Post-2025.’
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet mentioned several programmes and interventions laid out by the Royal Government of Cambodia, namely 1. expanding equity fund for vulnerable families and healthcare services to achieve universal health coverage, 2. institutionalising the national social protection assistance programme for poo
r households and at-risk households during economic crisis and emergencies, 3. providing care and support for the elderly and people with disabilities 4. ensuring maternity protection 5. offering child care and community preschools and school feeding programme to support families and women of working age.
‘Our social protection schemes have also been expanded to cover domestic workers, entertainment workers and those in the informal economy. Child care facilities in both public and private institutions have been set up to support families and women workers in need of assistance,’ he said.
As an overarching programme related to women, he continued, the Royal government of Cambodia has also unleashed a strategy entitled Neary Rattanak VI, the national strategy 2024-2028 on gender equality and women’s empowerment which has been implemented five phases already. The sixth version has specifically highlighted the care economy as one of the main priorities to address the current and future social issues emerging f
or demographic changes, social inequalities and development changes.
‘The issues of the care economy and their challenges are structural in nature and therefore, they require a realistic approach from each government complemented by further coordinated action from all ASEAN Member States,’ the Premier said. ‘Cambodia is always ready to contribute in a meaningful manner to the regional effort and I look forward to the adoption of the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Care Economy and Resilience towards ASEAN Community Post-2025 in the near future.’
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse
