Social development
Ethnic minorities and indigenous people policy and rights
Cambodia is known for its rich cultural diversity, including ethnic minorities and indigenous communities. As the country has developed, efforts have been made to recognize and protect these groups’ rights through policies and initiatives to promote inclusivity, preserve cultural heritage, and address issues such as ...
Women in development
Dr. Tan Reasmey, researcher and lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia. Photo taken from the USAID Asia on August 18, 2016. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.Relevant national policy frameworksFrom the perspective of the government as ...
Ethnic minorities and indigenous people
According to the Kingdom of Cambodia’s 2019 general population census, the total Cambodian population is 15,552,211 (51.31% of females).1 By 2021, the population increased to 16,589,023.2 Vietnamese, Chinese, Chams and other minorities also live in the country. Indigenous ethnic groups known as “Khmer Loeu” live ...
Education policy and administration
The Royal Government of Cambodia has continued its effort to reform the education sector at all levels. Over the years, policies and regulations have been enforced to improve education quality, accessibility, efficiency, effectiveness, inclusiveness, and transparency. Those policies and regulations include Education Strategic Plan 2019-2023, ...
Higher education
Higher education, in general, refers to education beyond the secondary level. Higher education institutions (HEIs) in Cambodia can be classified into three categories: The Royal Academy, university, and college. Cambodia’s higher education consists of an associate degree, four years of undergraduate education, two years of ...
Development and assistance for poverty reduction and food security
USAID’s Harvest program is helping Cambodia’s farmers. Photo by USAID, taken on 09 December 2013. Under the license CC BY-ND 2.0.The country has achieved remarkable sustainable growth, however, poverty and food security remain the challenges. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has acknowledged that to ...
Vocational education
By definition, Vocational education refers to the program that enables people to acquire highly transferable and development skills. It also grants people the necessary technical skill for their desired career.1 Cambodia’s vocational education plays an important role during the country’s economic structural transition and the ...
Poverty policy and regulation
As a fast-developing nation, Cambodia has always found poverty one of its main challenges. The Rectangular Strategy states that eradicating poverty has long been one of the Royal Government of Cambodia’s (RGC’s) highest priorities.1 Since the country’s first major post-civil war election in 1993, Cambodia ...
Primary and secondary education
Article 68 of Cambodia’s Constitution states that the Government shall provide free primary and secondary education for all citizens and each individual shall pursue basic education for at least 9 years. Education is a fundamental engine of social and economic development for a country, especially ...
Patient rights
Access to quality healthcare is fundamental to enhancing citizens’ livelihoods and advancing towards more sustainable growth and development in countries all over the world. Along with increasing public demand for better health infrastructure and adequate access to healthcare services, many countries face the need to ...
Health care policy and administration
A quality and effective healthcare system that provides equal access to services is critical to ensure the well-being of any population. Both developed and developing countries strive to bring improvements to their healthcare systems. Cambodia, in particular, has undergone significant transformations in terms of healthcare ...
SDG 1 No poverty
Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) seeks to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere”, ensuring extreme poverty is eradicated and overall poverty is reduced by 50%.This goal provides a much more comprehensive approach than the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the issue of poverty. ...
Education and training
Chi Phat primary school, Koh Kong Province. Photo by ODC team, taken on 28 November 2017. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.Access to free, good quality education in Cambodia is a right set out in the country’s Constitution: Article 65: “The State shall protect and promote citizens’ ...
Civil society
The launch event of a project improving the delivery of public services through ICT in Svay Rieng province, Cambodia. Photo by the ODC team, taken on 28 June 2017. Licensed under a CC BY-SA 4.0.Civil society, representing the interests of ordinary citizens, is the part of ...
Maternal and child health
The number of mothers who died in labour has nearly halved over four years, from 182 fatalities in 2011 to 100 in 2015.1 Deaths among children have also dropped, although they remain comparatively high, and the prevalence of underweight newborns is high compared to many ...
Priority health concerns
Two daughters look at their mother who is dying from HIV/AIDS, Cambodia. Photo by World Bank, taken in 2002. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Two common features mark Cambodia’s major health concerns:Some health figures are among the worst in the world – the 26 cases of ...
Social development
A trained medical staff listens to the heartbeat of an infant at 16 Makara hospital in Preah Vihear, Cambodia. Photo by The World Bank, taken on 30 January 2013. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Social development addresses profound social problems,1 especially poverty, unemployment and social exclusion, ...
