Background
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) under the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has decided to implement a pilot social security scheme focusing on health care for self-employed individuals in Phnom Penh. The announcement was made by H.E. Ouk Samvithyea, Delegate of the Royal Government in charge as Director General of the NSSF, during a workshop to disseminate information on the implementation of the pilot project on 27 March 2023.
The pilot scheme is being implemented by NSSF in cooperation with the organization GRET, with support from the French Development Agency (AFD). It builds on previous collaboration under the SPIN project, through which NSSF and GRET developed a web-based application, conducted financial risk assessments, established an NSSF information center, and designed communication strategies.
Scope of Application
The pilot scheme applies to self-employed individuals located within the geographic area of Phnom Penh. In this initial phase, the scheme is limited to self-employed drivers of three-wheeled and similar vehicles operating in the capital.
The implementation is scheduled to begin on 1 April 2023 and will serve as an initial step toward potential broader coverage of self-employed persons throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Key Provisions or Decisions
According to the NSSF Director General:
- NSSF has decided to put into operation a pilot social security regime focusing on health care for self-employed individuals.
- The first implementation step is restricted to self-employed drivers of tricycle and similar vehicles within Phnom Penh.
- The pilot will function as a mechanism for studying and preparing the expansion of social security coverage to all self-employed persons in Cambodia in the future.
- The initiative contributes to the Royal Government’s social protection policy objectives.
- The pilot is supported technically and financially through cooperation with GRET and AFD, building on prior work under the SPIN project.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
For the immediate pilot phase, the main implications concern self-employed drivers in Phnom Penh who may become participants in the NSSF health care social security scheme. The pilot will provide NSSF and its partners with information and experience needed to design and manage future nationwide coverage for self-employed individuals.
Businesses and organizations operating in the transport and informal sectors may, over time, be affected by subsequent policy decisions to extend social security coverage to broader categories of self-employed workers based on the outcomes of this pilot project. The pilot also reflects ongoing development of NSSF systems, including digital applications, financial risk assessment tools, and communication strategies.
Official Source
The information is based on an official announcement and remarks by the Director General of the National Social Security Fund, published via the NSSF’s official communication channels on 27 March 2023.
