Graduate Raises Awareness of Labour Rights and NSSF Among University Students

Son Yeum is empowering students to understand the role and benefits of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) by promoting it to his peers.

Son Yeum, a 24-year-old from Prey Veng province, graduated from the Royal University of Phnom Penh with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. In 2021, during his third year, Yeum was awarded a grant to raise awareness about labor rights and the significant role of the (NSSF) among university students.

The grant was provided under the FIRST project, implemented by Youth Resource Development Programme (YRDP) and Oxfam, and funded by the European Commission. The grant allowed him to participate in training sessions on labor rights and social protection, igniting his drive to share this knowledge with his peers. The main goals of his work was to first empower students with a clear understanding of labor rights as they prepare to enter the workforce and to raise awareness about the NSSF and its benefits. “If individuals have an NSSF card and fall ill, they can receive medical treatment at partner hospitals or national healthcare facilities without paying, or at a reduced cost,” Yeum said.

Yeum recognizes that many university students work part-time while studying, yet their employers often fail to provide NSSF cards. This leaves them without access to free healthcare and other critical benefits. “Every student deserves support when they’re unwell, financial aid during hardships, and decent jobs after graduation,” he said.

To address this, Yeum and his team have taken the initiative to organize workshops and trainings featuring experts with in-depth knowledge about the NSSF, enabling students to gain comprehensive insights into the NSSF’s benefits, including free medical care at partner hospitals and affordable access to other services.
One of the main challenges, Yeum acknowledged, was the limited availability of human resources. With the team consisting entirely of students, time constraints often made leading and facilitating the project difficult. 
Despite these obstacles, Yeum proudly said that the team has gained invaluable learning experiences contributing to their personal and professional growth.

Yeum’s project has successfully empowered students and young people about their labor rights and the significance of the NSSF, to better understand their rights as employees, navigate workplace conditions, and confidently advocate for fair treatment when necessary.

Focusing on youth and university students ensures that this critical awareness reaches the future workforce, potentially creating a positive long-term impact on labor practices.

Through the project, Yeum and his team have gained expertise in various areas, such as document processing, proposal writing, and effective transferring knowledge to peers. They also completed the Trainee -to-Trainer course, enabling them to share information about the social protection system and its benefits for youth, including the NSSF schemes such as healthcare, employment injury and pension, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program.

Although the project has concluded, Yeum remains committed to promoting social protection among his peers. He advises young people to verify their NSSF enrolment at work and negotiate their employment contracts to safeguard their interests.