The proportion of older people in the Cambodian population is expected to double in the next thirty years. The needs of older persons especially women and those who are disabled and the issues associated with ageing currently receive little attention from planners, policy makers and the community in general. HelpAge Cambodia (HAC) is currently the only Cambodian organisation working exclusively with older people. This project is therefore proposing the development of the Cambodian Older People’s Alliance (COPA) as a vehicle to amplify and ensure that the voices of older people, particularly the most marginalised, are understood and responded to by Government and policy makers and there is equitable implementation of the SDGs. The formation of COPA member starts from existing or former project partners of HAC include NGOs, OPA Federations and OPAs. Those organisations representing or working with or for older people, women, people with disabilities, possibly indigenous people and LGBTI persons together as well as the persons directly, are invited to become members of COPA and are provided with capacity strengthening and support to help them develop a unified platform. HAC has experience working with older people particularly women and older people with disabilities but this project provides HAC opportunity to get involved with indigenous groups or LGBTI persons. The specific objective of the alliance is to improve access to public services and foster space for economic, social and policy making participation for the most marginalised older people to ensure they are not ignored or left behind. Within this, four significant areas of work have been identified: 1) The development of a unified advocacy platform to bring to government and public attention the key issues affecting older people, with a focus on older women and older people with disabilities. Then, working with the government crafting policies and associated strategies to address these issues. 2) Building awareness and understanding of the intersections of age with disability and gender among CSOs and others providing services to older people (e.g. health care providers), government and civil society. 3) Ensuring older women and older people with disability are included in SDG planning and implementation. 4) Increasing participation with government and civil society on a possible UN convention on the rights of older people.

“I felt very empowered and motivated of being a member of this technical working group with MoSVY. I could say, it is my first time to join with the national government to work on policy level”. Said Ms. Vanna, president of Cambodia Aging Network (CAN) 

Main results: 

• HAC is enabled to work and support the 18 founder institutions among the representatives of OPAs and Federations from 5 capital provinces include some interested partners/NGOs in developing a new advocacy platform for older people, named as Cambodian Ageing Network (CAN).   

• CAN represents more than 25,000 people from 5 capital-province and is an influential platform that enables older people and other marginalized groups to amplify their voices and echo their needs to policymakers and key decision-makers at national levels.   
• Through this mechanism, the majority of CAN’s members, particularly OPAs and Federations are becoming increasingly competent and active in advocating for older people, and being invited to participate in a series of stakeholders meeting at both national and sub-national levels including various consultative workshops of key ministries on related policies supporting for older people.  
• The most successful influencing approaches that they have used in this project are the evidence-based studies/researches and engagement in a series of courtesy visits and dialogue with key government ministries to influence those key findings along with the regular follow-up meeting. 
• The most significant change as a result of project activity is the inclusion of older people representatives in the national policy review and development process. There are two older representatives of the Cambodian Ageing Network including four HAC staff were nominated as the members and fully involved with the Technical Working Group of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veteran and Youth rehabilitation for the review and development of action plan for National Ageing Policy 2017-2030.  
• Another remarkable change from the project is the improved capacities and increased participation among older people from grassroot levels in advocacy platform through Cambodian Ageing Network (CAN). This change has been made through various dialogue, debates, and advocacy campaigns that are led and organized by older people with the government at national and local levels for addressing their issues. As result from these advocacy efforts lead to the individual change of health care behavior among older people in some target communities. According to the latest survey among 282 OPAs within 5 Capital-Provinces, there’s an increasing number of older people access to public services which mainly visiting the Health Center. There are about 1,310 older people among 94 communities have visited and accessed to health care services at health centres. 

• The most significant lessons that we have learned throughout the implementation of this project is inviting key decision-makers of the government for the study visit and media interview on a specific purpose/topic. 

 The main achievement  

• 9 CSOs increasingly participate in or initiate influencing and advocacy efforts to protect and widen civil society space. (CAN, Federation of OPAs and OPAs)  
• 9 organizations supported with means (financial,  knowledge, skills, networks, training, etc.) to strengthen capacity in specific areas.  
• 15 media outlets were produced through national TV broadcasting and HAC social media channel on their advocacy campaign and event related to raising awareness on the need and issues of elderly people in Cambodia.  
• 4 publications through National and International Radio Broadcasting including the forming of Cambodia Aging Network and dissemination of evidence-based research on elderly issues. 
• 3 policy documents were disseminated including 1). National Aging Policy, 2). Decision letter of MoSVY and 3). Cash transfer program for poor households during the impact of Covid-19.   

• 12 videos on National Aging Policy were produced with the collaboration of MoSVY to disseminate and raise awareness on this policy among the public audience and decision-makers.   
• Total 16 of the documentation were developed under this project for their policy dialogues and advocacy including study research, press release, join statement, letter of engagement, campaign, national OPA forum, success stories, and various IEC materials.  
• There were 10 Age Demand Action campaigns organized and led by older people which gather around 1,400 participants including the marginalized and discriminated groups in the communities, the local authorities, and stakeholders.  
• HAC and CAN were selected as a candidate for the NOW-Us! Award and invited to join the NOW-Us! Week and Partos Innovation Festival in the Netherlands 

 Publications:  

• Need and challenges of older people in Cambodia, a research report: https://voice.global/publications/needs-challenges-of-older-people-in-cambodia-a-research-report/  

• Making our voice loader! https://voice.global/blog/making-our-voices-louder/  
• Who am I? https://voice.global/blog/who-am-i/  

Media outlets: 

Through National TV broadcasting: 

1. Advocacy Campaign of older people during World Health Day on 7 April 2019 (TVK): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1bnqBYksxI&t=7s

2. The first meeting of Cambodian Older People Committees in BTB on 13 June 19 (BTB TV): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7irUhhW5fyM

Voice grantee project evaluation report: https://oxfam.app.box.com/file/830390162695  

3. The research findings on issues and needs of older people (HRM) on 22 August 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70ipI40FWRE&t=40s 

4. The research findings on issues and needs of older people (CNC) on 22 August 2019:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S-UL5TiZlE&t=3s

5. The advocacy campaign of older people during IDOP on 1 October 2019 (CNC) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv4waS_vzc8

8. The president of CHRC promised to support the call for the UN Convention on the Rights of Older People and support other related legislations on 19 Jan 20 (CNC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uC7m3KULsE 

9. Workshop on “Social Protection and Older People Association in Cambodia” (CNC) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edhg5sx57I8&t=2s 

10. Workshop on “Social Protection and Older People Association in Cambodia” (HM): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ZZo33ZYeE&t=2s 

11. Right Workshop for older people in Battambang on 19-20 February (CNC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h0HhN7qhGQ

Through National and International Radio Broadcasting: 

1. The establishment of the Cambodian Ageing Network on 13 November 2018 (National Radio Chamar Check-in Battambang): 

             https://goo.gl/xU6q64; https://goo.gl/hyNiy1  

2. Compared to other countries, Cambodia found less attention to the issues of older people – Daily Guest Speaker program (RFI) on 30 

             August 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMyZZV-HSXg&t=1s  

3. The research findings on issues and needs of older people – Daily Guest Speaker program (RFI) on 29 August 2019: 

             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8COVxoNFG4  

4. The Cambodian Government should provide a social pension for older people – Daily Guest Speaker program (RFI): 

             https://www.facebook.com/HelpAgeCambodia/posts/5089322167775998 

 Videos on National Ageing Policy and Age Discriminations awareness: https://oxfam.app.box.com/file/839285699670