22 - Managing Poverty in Cambodia

Summary

INTRODUCTION

In the past decade, Cambodia has undergone a remarkable political transformation and has been able to generate robust economic growth. However, the country still faces persistent poverty issues. Poverty in Cambodia has largely resulted from insecurity, inadequate opportunities, low capabilities, vulnerability, and social exclusion, according to the National Poverty Reduction Strategy (NPRS).

Therefore, in Cambodia, the term “poverty” has become rooted in multifaceted dimensions; it is not only associated with a lack of income by households or individuals to meet basic needs or achieve an acceptable standard of living, but also with exposure to vulnerabilities to outside forces and a lack of access to opportunities, as well as social inclusiveness that these individuals do not enjoy. It includes having insufficient food and nutrition, lack of shelter and clothing, no access to healthcare or education, and the lack of wealth-creating assets such as land and rural credit. In addition, among the root causes of poverty in Cambodia are protracted conflicts and isolation, inability to benefit from economic growth, and having no sense of representation in the social mainstream. The effects of the multi-dimensions of poverty are manifested through such symptoms as: hunger, inequality, low capacity, social exclusion, and corruption.

NEW PARADIGM

It is obvious that poverty is a stain on the nation's soul and its corrosive effects not only contribute to human misery but also deprives the country of resources that would otherwise contribute to the future wealth and well-being of the Kingdom. National pride demands that Cambodia moves beyond the status of a poor aid-dependent country near the bottom of the world league table to that of a nation that can sustain progress and lift its entire population out of poverty. To achieve this aim, a set of institutional and policy frameworks will be required and, of necessity, a recalibration of the mindset that tends to put emphasis on sustaining the perceived requirements of the state rather than responding to the demands of the citizens. Reducing poverty depends primarily on the principle that development is first about people, and the need to view government's actions and development assistance from this perspective. Accordingly, this short paper on “Managing Poverty in Cambodia” is written in the hope that it will serve both as a spur and as a template for further work.