Phnom Penh: Mr. Heng Sour, Minister of Labor and Vocational Training, received a courtesy call and discussed work with Ms. Phean Sophon, Director of Oxfam Cambodia, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training and Oxfam Cambodia on the afternoon of June 26, 2026, at the Ministry’s office. The MoU aims to promote decent work, strengthen social protection systems, expand social protection coverage, and promote women’s economic empowerment through entrepreneurship, aiming to promote a just transition, especially for women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
On that occasion, the Minister warmly welcomed Ms. Phan Sophon and the partner organizations, as well as the Association, thanked Oxfam for providing financial and technical support to various partners working with the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training. His Excellency highly appreciated the cooperation between the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training and Oxfam, especially in the field of social security for workers in the informal economy, and this meeting is a valuable opportunity to expand cooperation, which is evident in the signing of the MoU.
He said that With a long-standing partnership with Cambodia, Oxfam has recently focused on social protection, the informal economy, women and working conditions, which are related to the Ministry of Labor. The Minister expressed his satisfaction and full support for the signing of the MoU, which is a good thing to pave the way for further discussion and support. The Minister also emphasized the importance and vision of the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training in expanding the scope of the social security system based on the principles of equality and equity to ensure transparency and sustainability.
Mr. Heng Sour also mentioned methods to help transform the informal economy into the system so that they can benefit from the National Social Security Fund, such as employment risks, healthcare and pensions. He also confirmed the continued close cooperation with Oxfam in implementing various programs and projects related to employment, social security and skills development, providing technical coordination and linking with relevant organizations to ensure the effectiveness of joint activities, as well as sharing information to support the preparation and implementation of programs in line with actual needs.
In response, Ms. Phean Sophon I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Minister and the Ministry’s leadership for their continued support and participation in Oxfam’s various programs in promoting social protection and workers’ rights. The current expansion of cooperation is a joint effort to begin opening more avenues that allow for more effective and quality work in line with the development of society. With a key role in promoting social protection systems and creating equitable financial policies to ensure that people in the informal economy and workers receive decent wages and working conditions, she hopes that this important partnership will contribute to promoting workers’ rights, expanding the scope of social protection and further empowering women.
Both sides expressed their strong belief that this valuable meeting will provide the necessary foundation and deeper understanding for implementing this cooperation more effectively to benefit the Cambodian people, especially promoting the economy for women and the informal economy, and open up opportunities for both sides to see further cooperation in the future.
Please note that the scope of this MoU focuses on mobilizing resources to support implementation to promote decent work and social protection for a just transition and supporting research towards promoting decent work and social protection, strengthening entrepreneurship capacity, expanding access to finance and developing women’s enterprise networks, supporting the provision of information on job opportunities, skills training and social security benefits, etc.
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