Ministries and other national bodies
Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation
Government unaware of at least 128 orphanages, report says
The government was unaware of about half of the residential child care centers operating in four provinces and Phnom Penh prior to a study conducted last year, according to a report released on Thursday. ...
Buth Kimsay and Sonia Kohlbacher
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/110401-110401/
Number of orphanages in Cambodia rises to 267 last year, up 92 pct: survey
A new survey released by Cambodia’s Social Affairs Ministry on Thursday showed that the number of residential care institutions in the country’s five key provinces increased to 267 last year, up 92 percent from only 139 in the year before. ...
Shanghai Team
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=324810
Report shows improved gov’t response to human trafficking
The National Committee on Combating Human Trafficking released its annual report yesterday, with figures showing an improved effort by authorities since 2014 to crackdown on the trade. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21924/report-shows-improved-gov---t-response-to-human-trafficking/
Drug busts, arrests spike in 2015
The number of drug cases and people arrested for drug crimes in 2015 more than doubled year-on-year, while the volume of drugs seized shot up 18-fold, according to police. ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/drug-busts-arrests-spike-in-2015-104776/
Youth justice law ‘due this year’
Cambodia’s first juvenile justice law, in the works for nearly a decade, will be passed by the end of this year, according to the Ministry of Social of Affairs. ...
Zoe Holman
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/youth-justice-law-due-year
Major facelift for notorious Prey Speu
Officials in the Ministry of Social Affairs are planning to make a set of major changes to the infamous Prey Speu detention center, aimed at improving its healthcare services, educational options, and the quality of the housing it offers. But some critics say the changes ...
Jonathan Cox
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/18784/major-facelift-for-notorious-prey-speu/
Ministry of social affairs launches investigation into church
A U.S.-based Pentecostal ministry with an extensive network of “orphan homes” in Cambodia will be investigated by the Ministry of Social Affairs after allegations of sexual abuse surfaced at one of its centers in Kratie province, though the organization will be allowed three months to ...
Taylor O'Connell and Buth Kimsay
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ministry-of-social-affairs-launches-investigation-into-church-102461/
Gov’t taskforce to address Prey Speu and homelessness
The Ministry of Social Affairs yesterday announced that it would form a committee to address the lack of services available to the homeless and mentally ill. Yesterday’s meeting was precipitated by the revelation this week by rights organization Licadho that two more residents at Prey ...
Chea Takihiro
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/17542/gov---t-taskforce-to-address-prey-speu-and-homelessness/
Rights advocates urge swift passage of Law on Juvenile Detention
Rights groups say the Cambodian government should prioritize the passage of a law that would provide better guidance on the treatment of juveniles by the court system. ...
Phorn Bopha
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/rights-advocates-urge-swift-passage-of-law-on-juvenile-detention/2896679.html
For disabled, few opportunities and little sympathy
For more than 30 years, Svay Simorn, a social worker in Phnom Penh, has cared for her daughter and grandson, both of whom are mentally disabled. Over time, she has experienced discrimination and isolation. ...
Oum Sonita
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/for-disabled-few-opportunities-and-little-sympathy/2873543.html
Governor holds meeting on helping homeless
Ahead of a visit to the Prey Speu social affairs center Friday, Phnom Penh governor Pa Socheatvong on Wednesday urged NGOs to get homeless people off the streets and into safe environments where they can turn their lives around, according to a post on City ...
Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/governor-holds-meeting-on-helping-homeless-88711/
Drug rehabs offer more harm than help
When police brought Manly to his room in the Mundoul Orkas Knhom drug rehab center outside Phnom Penh, he saw blood on the wall. ...
Igor Kossov
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/13342//
Officials to improve Prey Speu conditions
Following a visit to Phnom Penh’s notorious Prey Speu detention centre on Friday, the United Nations, NGOs and authorities have vowed to work together to find solutions for those detained there. ...
Alice Cuddy and Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/officials-improve-prey-speu-conditions
More funding for people with disabilities
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is increasing funding to support a rehabilitation and prosthetics project for people with disabilities in Cambodia. ...
Va Sonyka
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/13296/more-funding-for-people-with-disabilities/
NGO: role in child sex abuse case distorted
Child protection NGO Friends International said this week it will contest being officially cited as the originator of allegations of sexual misconduct at Our Home orphanage that led to the center’s closure last month and to the imprisonment of its director, Hang Vibol, on suspicion ...
Simon Henderson and Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ngo-role-in-child-sex-abuse-case-distorted-81395/
Police close orphanage over child sex claims
Police shut down the Our Home orphanage and school in Phnom Penh on Thursday, two days after child sex abuse allegations led to the arrest of its director—a former head of the anti-pedophile NGO Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE), which carried out the investigation. ...
Ben Sokhean and Simon Henderson
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-close-orphanage-over-child-sex-claims-79194/
Government to start small as it moves to end adoption ban
Cambodia is inching closer to lifting a self-imposed ban on inter-country adoptions and believes its efforts to reform will soon meet preconditions for restarting the adoption process with countries that outlawed the practice in response to numerous high-profile child trafficking scandals, the government said Tuesday. ...
Simon Henderson and Khy Sovuthy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-to-start-small-as-it-moves-to-end-adoption-ban-79038/
New step towards adoptions
Despite Cambodia’s unofficial freeze on inter-country adoptions, the Ministry of Social Affairs recently urged partner countries to reforge, in principle, their adoption partnerships with the Kingdom. In a statement issued on Monday, the ministry opened the application process for international adoption agencies, as only adoption agencies ...
Sarah Taguiam and Sen David
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/new-step-towards-adoptions
Cambodia seeks to pardon women in jail with children
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday that his government will seek the pardon and release of female convicts who are pregnant or have children living with them inside prisons, following a report by a human rights group which took authorities to task for neglecting ...
Morm Moniroth
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/pardons-for-jailed-women-with-children-02232015165148.html
Prey Speu detention centre still going strong
Almost 450 people were rounded up from the capital’s streets last year and sent to the notorious Prey Speu social affairs centre, where in November a man died after being denied medical treatment, according to an annual report from Phnom Penh’s Social Affairs Department. ...
Sen David and Alice Cuddy
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/prey-speu-detention-centre-still-going-strong
Disability benefits to be broadened by gov’t
A Ministry of Social Affairs official yesterday announced that, starting next year, the government would offer regular payments of 20,000 riel (about $5) to all disabled Cambodians, a benefit that so far has only been available to retired disabled soldiers. In an announcement that coincided with ...
Sen David
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/disability-benefits-be-broadened-gov%E2%80%99t
Shelter standards launched
Following reports of abuse and poor conditions at the Kingdom’s shelters, the government yesterday launched official recommendations that seek to ensure better care is offered to victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation. ...
Sen David
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/shelter-standards-launched
University dorm for orphans
Ol Sok Hour, a keen and promising student, had his life turned upside down two years ago when his parents died of AIDS. Yesterday, the NGO celebrated the launch of its Graduation House, a facility that will offer accommodation and support for orphaned tertiary students. ...
Sen David and Alice Cuddy
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/university-dorm-orphans
Holiday brings street sweeps
In an effort to “clean” Phnom Penh’s streets ahead of the coming Pchum Ben celebrations, authorities in Daun Penh district yesterday rounded up 27 homeless people. Kim Vutha, district security chief, told the Post that authorities conducted the roundup in Wat Phnom, Srah Chak, Boeung Raing and Chey ...
Sen David
http://phnompenhpost.com/national/holiday-brings-street-sweeps