GENEVA: The Human Rights Council (HRC) concluded its 51st Session on 7 October 2022 after having hosted a total of 53 meetings and adopted 41 resolutions on thematic and country-specific issues.
According to a press statement issued by the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva on Wednesday, 12 October, over the course of the four weeks of interactions (12 September - 7 October 2022), Cambodian Ambassador and Permanent Representative, An Sokkhoeurn, delivered a total of 25 remarks, featuring progress and accomplishments of the Kingdom in wide-ranging categories of human rights, including three Joint Statements of ASEAN.
These remarks included mention of Cambodia’s roll-out of several social protection schemes in support of women, job-suspended workers and vulnerable groups during the Covid-19 pandemic, the adoption of the “Cambodia Digital Economy and Society Policy Framework 2021-2035” and “Digital Government Policy 2022-2035,” the launch of a new pension scheme for private sector employees, the expansion of the “National Social Security Fund,” and the recently introduced “Cash Transfer Program for At-risk Households during High Inflation.”
Additionally, Permanent Representative An Sokkhoeurn also noted the development of a “National Policy on the Development of Indigenous Peoples,” significant progress made in the registration of indigenous communities’ land, the increased provision of pro bono legal aid to detainees and vulnerable groups, including children, women and the elderly, and the further promotion of the rights of older persons through the implementation of the “2016-2025 National Social Protection Policy Framework.”
The press statement further adds that Cambodia signed up to 13 joint statements during the 51st Session of the HRC, on topics such as the OHCHR’s work, cultural diversity, unilateral coercive measures, climate change actions, and technical cooperation. Furthermore, Cambodia co-sponsored seven resolutions, namely those on international cooperation to support national human rights mechanisms; human rights education; youth and human rights; voluntary funds for the UPR mechanism; and technical cooperation in the field of human rights.
