HelpAge Cambodia is Cambodia’s leading agency on ageing and has worked with older people in Cambodia for over 20 years through Older Peoples Associations (OPAs), which are a proven, older people-led, safety net mechanism endorsed by the Royal Government of Cambodia to address social and welfare protection needs of older people. HelpAge Cambodia was registered with the Ministry of Interior on 12 December 2012. HelpAge works with older people across Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap provinces of Cambodia.

HelpAge works closely and in cooperation with the Royal Government of Cambodia, including several central ministries and provincial departments such as Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, Health, Women’s Affairs, Rural Development, Committee on Disaster Management, and Environment to support to the older people and promote the inclusion of ageing into the development programming and policy efforts in Cambodia.

Vision
A society in which all older people can lead dignified, active, healthy and secure lives.

Mission
To work for and with marginalised older people to echo and voice their concerns and needs for rights to healthcare, social services and economic and physical security, and to promote older peoples active contribution and equal participation in society.

To continue their influencing journey from a previous Influencing grant, Inclusion of Elderly aims to increase the voices of elderly people who are marginalised and discriminated, particularly elderly women and elderly people with disabilities to access and be prioritised in the government social protection schemes and social services.  This project intends to strengthen the voice and function of Cambodia Ageing Network (CAN) and its grassroots representatives to expand their network including all Voice rightsholder groups.

Another consortium member, Cambodia YMCA, is responsible in support/ strengthening capacities of CAN member in Phnom Penh as they are newly established.

In responding to the principle of “Leave no one behind”, the project encourages other Voice’s grantees to be part of this project to promote the intersectionality among all rightsholder groups to work with or for elderly people, women, people  with disabilities, indigenous people and LGBTI persons. The project covers five provinces: Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Kompong Thom, and Phnom Penh.

HelpAge Cambodia succeeded in forming the Cambodian Aging Network (CAN), previously called the Cambodian Older People’s Alliance (COPA) as a vehicle to amplify and ensure that the voices of elderly people, particularly the most marginalised are heard and responded by the government and there is equitable implementation of the SDGs. In 2020, CAN and HAC were recognised and included as core members in the technical working group to review and develop the action plan for National Aging Policy in 2017-2030 by Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY).