Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) welcomes the new National Housing Policy, approved by Council of Ministers on 09 May 2014. The National Housing Policy focuses primarily on families who have low and medium incomes and contains important mechanisms for increasing tenure security for informal settlements and improving access to adequate housing for poor and vulnerable groups.
The Policy recognizes that relocation of informal settlements should be conducted in a transparent, accountable, participatory and voluntary manner, and used as a course of last resort. Furthermore, it highlights how unprepared resettlement sites cause major problems for residents, particularly with regards to sustainable employment opportunities. Resettlement of communities is only to take place on sites close to basic services and infrastructure as well as employment opportunities. Crucially, the policy provides for a guarantee of temporary security of tenure for 3-5 years for temporary settlements in order to find a permanent solution. OHCHR looks forward to working with the General Department on Housing to implement the right to adequate housing and realizing security of tenure for all in Cambodia. Read the National Housing Policy in Khmer.