KUALA LUMPUR - Cambodia’s Labour and Vocational Training Minister Heng Sour has called for informal sector workers to improve their skills so they can transition into the formal economy.
He said moving workers into the formal sector is the fastest way for them to receive social protection and employment benefits.
Sour made the remarks during a ceremony marking the 140th International Workers’ Day organised by the Independent Democratic Informal Economy Association (IDEA) and Oxfam.
The event recognised the contributions of informal workers such as street vendors, delivery riders, domestic workers, small farmers and waste collectors to Cambodia’s economy and food security.
Sour said the National Strategy for Developing the Informal Economy was not meant to expand the informal sector, but to help workers and businesses strengthen their capabilities and enter the formal economy.
“Some people misunderstand the term ‘developing the informal economy’ as encouraging the informal sector to grow further.
“In reality, the policy aims to help informal workers develop their capacities and enter the formal economy.
“The fastest way is to move citizens and informal businesses into the formal system,” Sour added.
Sour said many digital delivery workers are considered self-employed because they work without contracts and earn through commissions instead of fixed salaries.
IDEA president Vorn Pov welcomed government policies supporting informal workers, including social protection measures and worker registration programmes.
He described the informal sector as an important part of Cambodia’s economy and called for stronger implementation of support policies.
Pov said many informal workers continue to face challenges such as climate change, low digital literacy, traffic risks and costly healthcare.
He also urged the government to provide more support for scavengers and waste collectors who struggle to contribute to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Oxfam representative Tan Visal said the informal sector remains a major contributor to Cambodia’s economy by creating jobs, supporting food security and reducing unsafe migration.
