The "Social Protection Research Fund" in Cambodia within the framework of NSPS for poor and vulnerable will be established under the existing Social Protection Coordination Unit (SPCU)-UNICEF framework of cooperation 2011, with a possibility of extension through 2012 and beyond. The research fund is being set up in a twin, parallel and complimentary initiative to the Social Protection Research Exchange Forum. The objective of the research exchange forum is to enhance the dialogue on social protection for poor and vulnerable especially women and children, among key practitioners, drawn from the government, civil society and development partners in spearheading, coordination and directing the national debate and learning on social protection with an ultimate aim of guiding formulation of improved programmes and policies. Exchange and sharing of information and knowledge from research, including various programmatic M&E information will also aid the monitoring and oversight responsibility that SPCU has been mandated with.
In July 2010, CARD established SPCU as a mechanism to coordinate with related ministries, development partners and civil society to establish, control, and evaluate NSPS implementation. In the first 5-month of the semester one 2012, SPCU has implemented its activity plan, focusing mainly on:
- Organizing capital and provincial forum to countrywide disseminate social protection strategy
- Communicating among involved institutions via bilateral and multilateral meeting
- Strengthening the coordination implementing social protection strategy and capacity building
- Coordinating the policy and cooperating with development partners in developing and implement NSPS
- Conducting research into policy on social protection
To build the capacity and/or connection of partners including UN-Agencies (UNICEF and ILO) and relevant ministries (representative from MoH, MoLVT, MoWA, MoRD, MoP, SNEC, MoSVY, MoI, and SPCU staffs). SPCU-CARD conducted a profitable training course on social protection and cash transfer under the title “Human Capacity Development on Social Protection”, which has been developed and will be implemented in pilot plan sooner.
