Empowering Our Voices to Better Serve our Community

In 2015, the population aged 60 years and above was estimated at 1.3 million presenting 8.3% of the total population; it is forecasted that by 2050, the number of older people will reach about 5 million, representing 21% of the total Cambodian population.

More than 80% of older people live in rural areas, are illiterate and around 25% live below the poverty line (1.25$ per day). There is currently no pension or other form of social benefit system other than for government employees. So there is very limited safety net for older Cambodians, particularly when they cannot rely on family members or when they heads of households.

Recently, government has endorsed three policies that support older people such as “the National Ageing Policy 2017-2030”, “the National Health Care Policy and Strategy for Older People 2016” and “the National Social Protection Policy Framework”. But, it is still questionable about how effectives those policy will be implemented and how the voice of older people reach to policy maker.

HelpAge Cambodia, with financial support from Voice Programme, has supported the establishment of the Cambodian Ageing Network (CAN) which is expected as a platform that can amplify the voice of older people, particularly the most marginalised, to public and policy makers for policy implementation and improve quality of life.