Cambodia's National Social Protection Policy Framework (NSPPF) organizes public policy around maternity and childhood, occupational risks, unemployment, health, disability, homelessness and old age or survivors. The National Social Protection Council coordinates this framework. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) leads social assistance, child protection and support for older people, while the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) administers contributory schemes. Commune and sangkat structures, the Commune Council for Women and Children (CCWC) and district social-affairs offices connect many people with local support. Delivery differs by province, poverty status, disability, gender, distance and access to documents. Childhood covers ages 0–17 for child-protection purposes. Birth registration reached about 92% in 2021 and supports legal identity and access to services. Primary net attendance was about 94% and completion about 84% in 2021. Access to basic education reaches at least Grade 9, but fully enforceable compulsory schooling was not established by the available evidence. Children with disabilities faced a primary out-of-school rate of about 61%, compared with 4% among children without disabilities. Other risks include poverty, dropout, violence, trafficking, residential care and shocks caused by climate events or migration. About 66% of children aged 1–14 experienced violent discipline, and about 17% of children aged 5–17 were economically active in 2021. Child labour is generally restricted below age 15, while hazardous work is restricted below age 18. CCWCs can refer protection concerns to DoSVY, the District Office of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation. Youth policy generally covers ages 15–30. The 2022–2026 national youth plan addresses education and technical and vocational education and training, health and well-being, employment and entrepreneurship, participation and volunteering. The move from school to training or work is a central transition. Young people were reported to be three times more likely to be unemployed than adults, and 59% of surveyed people aged 15–24 were not in employment, education or training. Rural, out-of-school, migrant, disabled, Indigenous and LGBTQI young people can face additional barriers. Participation is supported through the National Youth Development Council and youth networks, but Cambodia has no uniform national youth cash entitlement. For adulthood, the working-age reference is 15–59. Common transitions include entering formal or informal work, migration, unemployment, parenthood and disability. About 81% of jobs were classified as vulnerable in evidence used for the 2023 situation analysis, based on 2019–2020 conditions. NSSF protection depends on registration and contributions, so informal workers are usually less covered. Unemployment, occupational injury, health and disability are recognized social-protection risks, but access depends on the applicable scheme and the person's employment and contribution status. Maternity and early-childhood support combines employment rules, health services and targeted assistance. Labour law provides 90 days of maternity leave; a female employee with at least one year of service in an enterprise may receive 50% of wages plus allowances under the applicable rules. A private NSSF member may receive 70% of the average contributory wage during 90 days, subject to NSSF rules. Pregnant women and children below age two may qualify for cash transfers linked to an IDPoor or Equity Card, prenatal, delivery and postnatal checks, and vaccination. The Family Package brings together assistance for maternity and children, school-age children, disability, older people and people living with HIV. Payments and eligibility can change, so the current amount and local registration process should be checked through public health facilities, the social registry or the responsible local office. Older age generally begins at 60, which is also the main retirement reference. An NSSF old-age pension requires registration and at least 60 contribution months; people outside that qualifying pathway may receive an old-age allowance under the applicable sub-decree. Survivors' benefits depend on qualifying contributions. The Family Package and other social assistance primarily target poor or vulnerable older people rather than providing a universal payment. Families and pagodas have historically provided much of the safety net, while migration and urbanization can weaken daily support. Care dependency has no documented nationwide universal long-term-care eligibility system, cash benefit, provider tariff or enforceable payment for family caregivers. The National Ageing Policy 2017–2030 promotes ageing in place, caregiver training, home visits, social-welfare officers and community volunteers. Home-care, nursing and care-centre models for disability, dementia and terminal illness have been proposed or examined, but formal services remain scarce and uneven. The Ministry of Health and MoSVY share relevant responsibilities, while households carry much of the unpaid care burden. Life transitions can include birth registration, school, youth training or work, parenthood, retirement and survivorship. Cross-cutting risks include child marriage, violence, trafficking, migration, disability, unemployment, floods, inflation, epidemics and homelessness. Marriage is generally permitted from age 18, with an exception from age 16 when parental or guardian consent applies. About 18% of women aged 20–24 were married or in a union before age 18; the reported figure was 34% in Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri. Cambodia's social-protection framework is intended to respond to shocks, but there is no single national case-management pathway covering every life transition. Local support commonly begins with a commune or sangkat office, CCWC, school, health facility, youth network or DoSVY and may require referral to MoSVY or another specialized institution.
Life stages in Cambodia
Life stages in Cambodia are shaped by age, work, family responsibilities, disability, migration and access to social protection. Childhood generally covers ages 0–17, youth policy uses ages 15–30, the working-age reference is 15–59, and older age begins at 60. Cambodia has a national framework for life-cycle risks, but local access to services remains uneven. Care for older or dependent people is still mainly provided by families and informal community networks.
Tip
Treat each major life transition in Cambodia as a separate access check: identity and school for children, training or work for young people, registration and contributions for workers, and income and care planning for older people. Start with the local commune or sangkat office, school, health facility, CCWC or DoSVY, and do not assume that a national programme or family support is available without checking eligibility and documents. Give extra attention to disability, poverty, remote residence, migration and sudden shocks because these conditions can turn a routine transition into a service gap.