an Integrated Social Protection
and Employment Strategy for
Cambodia
National Tripartite Dialogue, March 2012, Phnom Penh
Overview
Outline of this presentation:
1.the need for a NES – what are the core issues to be addressed?
2.the approach towards a NES in an overview
3.identification of priority sectors: the ‘growth diamonds’
4.identification of the sector needs
5.organizing stakeholder involvement: sector platforms
6.the ingredients for the NES
7.linking the NES with the existing strategies – in particular the NSPS
8.ALMPs one important item in the integrated NE/SPS
9.SP schemes for the working age population, a second important item
10.the governance structure
11.implementation issues – in particular: how to reach out to informal sector
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workers?
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(1) the Need for a NES
What is the need for an employment stategy?
to complement for a missing link in the overall planning framework!
because evidence reveals that economic growth alone is just not sufficient…
… more than a decade of impressive GDP growth and still:
more than 80 percent of Cambodian workers are ill-protected against the risks of life
Cambodia is lagging behind within the ASEAN in terms of productivity
hence…: what are the core issues?
to raise productivity, through building on human capital and meet the needs of the labor market
to include the vulnerable and poor into the formal sector and create decent job opportunities
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(2) the approach towards a NES
What should be the approach?
to identify priority sectors
to identify the needs in these sectors
to identify the stakeholder actors
to formulate the ingredients for a NES – that is the areas the NES should look in to
to define the indicators to set targets and measure progress
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(3) identification of the priority sectors
point of departure: the NSDP Update
it is imperative to connect to the NSDP Update 2009-2013
the NSDP lists a number of priority areas
in these areas a coordinated effort has to be organized
these could become Cambodia’s future: ‘Growth Diamonds’
the concept of ‘growth diamonds’ helps to sharpen the focus
not just ‘comparative’ advantage but ‘competitive’ advantage is the aim!
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(4) identification of the sector needs
What is required to establish these growth diamonds?
enabling technical conditions
enabling economic conditions
legal and institutional constraints
 NECESSARY CONDITIONS
social requirements
human capital requirements
 SUFFICIENT CONDITIONS
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(5) identification of the stakeholders
organizing the social dialogue…
establish platforms at the sector level
include all stakeholder ministries and agencies in these platforms…
… and include the social partners!
… at the strategic and operational levels
the platforms have a role at the strategic level: propose policies
and also at the operational level: tackle implementation issues
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(6) identification of the elements in the NES
the ingredients of the NES
Labor Law
industrial relation regime
the link between education and the labor market – this includes vocational training
other ALMPs and the NEA
the NES
is in the
lead
tax measures
infrastructure and technological development
the macroeconomic environment and governance regime
the NES
is NOT in
the lead
SMART indicators have to be defined
this helps to define the objectives
and measure progress over time
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(6) elements in the NES (continued)
the growth diamond approach
the indicators in the NES can be visualized …
… and made operational along the five dimensions of the
Growth Diamond…
… in this manner, when the sector develops its growth
potential, over time, the diamond will become larger
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(7) integrating the NES with the NSPS
the overlap between the NES/NSPS
overlap exists, in particular in the area: ALMPs, …
… and in the establishment of work-related social protection
schemes
hence: the two strategies need to be formulated and
implemented in an integrated manner!
need for a macro-level national institutional framework
(interministerial) that can oversee the development and monitor
policies and dialogue
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(8) ALMPs: TVETs and the role of the NEA
TVET: what are the challenges?
making TVET attractive for students
making TVET programs more responsive to labor market needs – present and future!
making TVET address SME startup skill requirements
establishing accreditation and international recognition of certificates
establishing access to TVET facilities nationwide (including through e-learning facilities)
provide school dropouts with a LM entry certificate
develop lifelong learning programs
NEA: what are the challenges?
developing its LM matching function
establishing a national vacancies database and methods to canvas for vacancies
establishing a vocational skills (competencies) database
establishing an IT infrastructure for the above tasks
organizing training and placement services – either ‘in house’ ,or via contracted (private) services
(in the latter case) the challenge is to be a good commissioner!
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(9) work related social protection schemes
Important to maintain the link with activation
introduce conditionalities in the schemes: ‘mutual obligations’
provide financial support when students enroll in technical training (scholarships)
link benefit provision with participation in public work programs…
… however, avoid ‘lock in effects’!
introduce horizontal social protection schemes with a ‘tiered’ structure
establish individualized case management for multi-problem families (relates to the Single Windows)
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(10) governance
What could the governance structure look like?
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(11) implementation issues
Outreaching to informal sector workers and their families
the Social Protection Floor initiative: establishing ‘virtuous circles’!
the single windows: the PEOPLES Service
‘marketing the services’ – that is: convincing the workers and their employers that it pays to be in
formal employment!
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