ILO’s project focussing on strengthening tripartite constituents’ capacity to recover from COVID-19 through dialogue and improved representation in Cambodia

How did the new project come about?

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented change to the world of work in Cambodia. After consultations with partners in Cambodia and with ACTEMP and ACTRAV, a project was developed to support the tripartite constituents in Cambodia to address together the COVID-19 crisis. It focusses on developing responses to the COVID-19 crisis through social dialogue and collective bargaining, taking into account the interests of both employers and workers. The project is financed by Regular Budget Supplementary Account (RBSA) resources which are used by the ILO to address unmet calls for assistance from constituents in developing countries in an adaptive, agile, and timely manner.

What is the project about and which industry sectors are involved?

Responding to the health and economic consequences of the pandemic, and moving from crisis response to recovery – including the resumption of economic activities – requires well-designed solutions that take account of workplace realities.

Therefore, the project focusses on risk mitigation and dispute prevention for a safe return to work in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, especially in the construction, tourism and entertainment sectors. Dialogue between employers and workers should be used to jointly identify risks and risk mitigation requirements for a safe return to work and develop appropriate communication strategies, content and delivery mechanisms.  This will help to ensure that employers and workers are aware of the risks and mitigation measures and follow them in order to prevent disputes that might arise during the return to work period.

The project will encourage tripartite constituents to activate tripartite bodies for social dialogue for engaging employers and workers in safely re-starting the economy, and to ensure that government policies are equitable and inclusive. 

What should be achieved with the project?

The project aims to strengthen employers’ and workers’ organizations and their engagement in bipartite and tripartite social dialogue in Cambodia. Bipartite and tripartite social dialogue processes should ensure a safe return to work with safety protocols and dispute prevention measures. This will include revitalized national tripartite dialogue mechanisms and newly established bipartite dialogue processes. Moreover, as women and men workers are affected differently by the COVID-19 crisis, ILO advice will ensure that gender issues are proactively addressed in social dialogue processes in Cambodia.