Phnom Penh (FN), Feb. 6 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shared 15 recommendations for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation to achieve the Royal Government strategic goals on Tuesday (Feb. 6).

The 15 recommendations are as follows:

First, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation and all relevant ministries and institutions, especially sub-national administrations at all levels, shall pay more attention and continue to promote the implementation of social assistance programs in the family package and shock responsive social protection programs in accordance with their respective jurisdictions, which cover all beneficiaries to achieve the planned results.

Second, encouraging the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation to coordinate a social service initiative targeting impoverished families. This involves the execution of the Social Service Bridge Program tailored for poor families, with particular emphasis on those with orphans, abandoned children, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, the homeless, and drug addicts. Additionally, there is an encouragement to advance the implementation of cash social assistance programs, specifically by providing cash support for vocational training for youth in families holding equity cards. Furthermore, there is an ongoing commitment to organize programs aimed at supporting job creation for impoverished families.

Third, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation shall examine the possibility of drafting laws and regulations to support homeless individuals. This initiative aims to connect them with social assistance programs within family packages. Furthermore, there is an emphasis on adapting and constructing social shelters in the capital, provinces, or regions to accommodate homeless individuals and victims temporarily. These shelters are intended to provide suitable facilities for residence, healthcare, counseling, and vocational training. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the integration of these individuals back into their families and communities.

Fourth, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Civil Service must examine the possibility of providing financial and staff support to enhance the operational efficiency of for the social work center.

Fifth, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, the Office of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Ministry of Civil Service shall accelerate the amendment of the sub-decree on the policy regime for victims living in public shelters in accordance with socio-economic evolution.

Sixth, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation shall cooperate with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Economy and Finance to foster the operation and sustainability of elderly citizens’ associations nationwide.

Seventh, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation must enhance and expand the center’s capacity in education, care, rehabilitation, vocational training and rehabilitation of drug victims. Additionally, there is a mandate to monitor cases post-community integration.

Eighth, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Ministry of Civil Service shall study the feasibility of establishing additional priority regional or provincial temporary centers to address the increase in the number of drug victims and to provide education, care, and rehabilitation to become responsible citizens.

Ninth, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation must continue to urge the private sector, civil society organizations to accept persons with disabilities to work at the rate set by the transitional fines in case companies, factories, enterprises, civil society organizations that do not fulfill their obligations as stipulated in the law. At the same time, the law on the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities must be amended in line with the current socio-economic situation.

Tenth, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation shall continue to implement the policy of alternative care for children, family, relatives and family to prevent the separation of children from the family without increasing the quality control of child care in public shelter and non-governmental shelter. Promote the preparation and adoption of the Law on the Child Protection and the amendment of the sub-decree on the regime of supporting the victims to stay in the state center appropriately and support the care of children by relatives and families in accordance with the evolving situation of the national economy.

Eleventh, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, instructed to strengthen the safety system for the welfare and rights of children. This includes facilitating access to education, strictly adhering to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, and nurturing the education of children to become responsible and contributing citizens.

Twelfth, the Ministry of Health is directed to maintain efforts to enhance the efficiency and quality of health services, particularly in public hospitals nationwide. This involves providing free or state-burdened health services to vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, orphans, and the helpless elderly through programs like the Equity Fund.

Thirteenth, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans, and Youth Rehabilitation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, is to continue strengthening the social security system. This includes improving services, mechanisms for the pension system, and other benefits for former civil servants, veterans, and their families.

Fourteenth, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation must continue to strengthen governance through (1) training to strengthen the capacity of officials at all levels, increase the number and recognition of social service forces, as well as plan to deploy these social service forces at both the national and sub-national levels; and (2) to study and develop a policy on social work to be a basic document in orienting the implementation of work as a roadmap to improve the well-being and living standards of the people and to promote the establishment of a social work professional committee to ensure the quality of licensing, recognition of social services and protection of potential professional risks to social service providers and clients.

Fifteenth, the National Council for Social Protection must promote the completion of the "Draft Strategic Plan for Digital Development in the Social Protection System" and the "Draft Sub-Decree on the Harmonization of the Registration and Social Protection Data Management System". This aims to provide a comprehensive plan and legal framework for the smooth and efficient implementation of digital transformation and data management in social protection.
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