Cambodia launches national ageing policy to improve well-being of elderly

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen launched the National Ageing Policy (2017-2030) on Thursday with the aim of further improving well-being of older persons in the country.

Speaking at the launching ceremony at the Peace Palace here, Hun Sen said the policy was to further enhancing and improving the life quality of elderly persons in Cambodia with emphasis on ensuring them equal rights and opportunities.

"The policy is to ensure that older persons are enabled to fully participate with freedom and dignity in family, community, economic, social, religious, and political activities," he said. "It's also to eliminate age-based discrimination so that older persons are guaranteed the same rights as younger persons and treated on par with them in all aspects."

Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation Vong Sauth said the Southeast Asian country had about 1.2 million older persons, aged over 60 years old, in 2013, or 8 percent of the country's total population of 15 million.

"It's expected that the ageing population will reach 2 million, or 11 percent of the total population of 18 million, in 2030," he said.

The minister said the policy focused on a number of priority issues for the elderly such as financial security, health and well-being, living arrangements, older persons' association, and prevention of violence and abuse. Enditem