The Cambodia Social Protection for All (SP4ALL) coalition organised a four-day exposure visit to Malaysia, facilitated by the Social Wellbeing Research Centre (SWRC), Universiti Malaya, to strengthen knowledge and capacity in advancing Cambodia’s social protection reforms. The visit drew lessons from Malaysia’s well-established social protection ecosystem, which includes the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Social Security Organisation (SOCSO), Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP), Department of Social Welfare (JKM), the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance, civil society organisations and the Malaysian Bar Association.
The objectives of the visit were to enable knowledge exchange across diverse institutions, enhance the technical expertise of Cambodian policymakers, civil society leaders and practitioners, establish sustainable networks between Cambodian and Malaysian actors, and gain practical insights into operational frameworks, financing models, and legal systems that support social protection. Discussions and engagements focused on extending social protection coverage to informal workers and vulnerable groups, promoting rights-based approaches, ensuring fund sustainability through investment and financing models, leveraging digital technology for efficiency and outreach, and enhancing policy integration across social insurance, social assistance, health, and labour market measures.
The delegation comprised 18 representatives, including members of SP4ALL, Oxfam, and 12 local organisations representing trade unions, NGOs, Indigenous communities, and networks working on labour rights, gender equality, youth, and ageing populations.
