Social protection is one of the pillars of the 5-year UN Development Assistance Framework in Cambodia. Social protection is needed to reduce people’s vulnerability to socioeconomic risks and impoverishment and to enable the poor and vulnerable populations improve their livelihoods and productivity in the long term.

People living with HIV (PLHIV) are a vulnerable population group. The findings from the UNDP and National AIDS Authority study in 2010 on the socioeconomic impact of HIV at the household level in Cambodia clearly demonstrated disproportionate socioeconomic challenges faced by HIV-affected household as compared with non-affected household. One of the recommendations calls for social protection that addresses and mitigates such disproportionate socioeconomic impacts of the HIV-affected households.