Social development
Family, children and youth
United Nations envoy to probe children’s rights
The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia will pay her fourth visit to the country from August 8 to 18 to examine children’s rights, among other issues. ...
Mom Sophon
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5076543/united-nations-envoy-probe-childrens-rights/
Provinces now responsible for state-run orphanages
The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation yesterday issued a sub-decree delegating responsibility for state-run childcare centres to sub-national levels in a bid to streamline aid to victims of child abuse. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5075389/provinces-now-responsible-state-run-orphanages/
Project aims to send children in orphanages home
Though they live in orphanages, an estimated 13,000 children in facilities across Cambodia have at least one living parent. As part of a sea change in government policy in a country with a checkered history with orphanages, officials in Battambang province on Tuesday kicked off ...
Janelle Retka and Chhorn Phearun
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/project-aims-to-send-children-in-orphanages-home-132890/
Young on march to change face of Siem Reap
Siem Reap is littered with trash and local young people have had enough. Once a month since March, monks and youth volunteers from NGOs, businesses and public schools have joined together to clean up their neighbourhood and promote awareness of how rubbish affects people’s lives. ...
Pav Suy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5073725/young-march-change-face-siem-reap/
Gaps persist in laws protecting kids: UN
A draft United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report released at a workshop on Monday praises efforts to crack down on sexual abuse of children but calls for measures to curb child pornography. ...
Martin de Bourmont and Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/gaps-persist-laws-protecting-kids-un
Laws failing young sex exploitation victims
Child sex tourism is continuing to damage the lives of young Cambodians, while the internet is enabling perpetrators to carry out abuse, the Justice Minister has warned. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/40172/laws-failing-young-sex-exploitation-victims/
Australia looks to outlaw tours to orphanages in Cambodia
Australians facilitating tours and volunteer programs at orphanages in foreign countries such as Cambodia may eventually face criminal charges if a recently opened inquiry in Australia results in legislation. ...
Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/australia-looks-to-outlaw-tours-to-orphanages-in-cambodia-132047/
IMF: Make youth a demographic dividend
The International Monetary Fund says Cambodia’s young population compared with other regional countries will be a driving force for financial development and contribute to the emerging finance technology sector, or Fintech. ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/39134/imf--make-youth-a-demographic-dividend/
Age is no barrier for candidates
Parties competing in the commune elections are pinning their hopes on young candidates winning the popular vote. Nhek Bun Chhay, president of the Khmer National United Party, said his party is focusing on youth candidates, with people aged between 25 and 32 making up 40 percent ...
Khy Sovuthy
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/38910/age-is-no-barrier-for-candidates/
Poipet children face abuse
The trend of Cambodian workers flocking to Thailand can have a devastating ripple effect on children living on the margins in the border town of Poipet, where they face a litany of risks such as drug use, sexual abuse and physical violence, according to a ...
Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/poipet-children-face-abuse
Mekong states sign on to UN policy on drugs
With the Kingdom in the middle of a controversial “war on drugs”, six Mekong countries agreed yesterday to adopt a regional drug policy that puts health care first, and mandates police and judicial cooperation. ...
Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/mekong-states-sign-un-policy-drugs
Over 35,000 kids still in care
A staggering 35,000 Cambodian children and young people continue to be housed in a range of residential care facilities, with many of them flying under the government’s radar, according to a new report released by the Ministry of Social Affairs yesterday. ...
Touch Sokha and Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/over-35000-kids-still-care
Ministry cracks down in orphans scandal
The Ministry of Social Affairs has decided to reintegrate more than 3,000 children in orphanages back into families after discovering the abysmal conditions of many facilities, with some having reported sexual abuse. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37654/ministry-cracks-down-in-orphans-scandal/
More kids in care than thought: study
Almost one in every 100 children in Cambodia is living in a residential care institution, a number far higher than previous estimates, according to a new report in the British Medical Journal. ...
Cristina Maza
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/more-kids-care-thought-study
Minister urges more help for addicts
Interior Minister Sar Kheng has warned the number of drug users in the country has reached 20,000, as he urged authorities to do more to tackle the problem. ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36579/minister-urges-more-help-for-addicts/
Students call for wider selection of books
A quarter of Cambodian students want more access to books and other reading materials, a study by World Vision revealed yesterday. Of the 4,000 students surveyed by the global NGO, 25 percent said they sought “more amount and variety” of books, while 12 percent wanted “better ...
Khmer Times Staff
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36374/students-call-for-wider-selection-of--books/
PM: Stop violence against women
The prime minister has urged government ministries and public institutions to speed up work on an action plan to prevent violence against women and children, calling for education on the issue to start from an early age. ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36282/pm--stop-violence-against-women/
PM calls out US again for bombs
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday used a speaking slot at a children’s rights conference to once again castigate the United States, urging the UN to “increase its volume” in condemning the US for dropping bombs that maimed and killed children. ...
Touch Sokha and Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-calls-out-us-again-bombs
Hun Sen makes a plea for more child welfare
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday called on everyone whose work related to children to be conscientious and passionate about their job. He spoke at the opening ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Regional Early Childhood Development Conference, which is being held over three days in Siem Reap City. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/36025/hun-sen-makes-a-plea-for-more-child-welfare/
A meal for a child’s smile, the living legacy of Christian des Pallieres
Founded in 1995 by a French couple, Christian and Marie-France des Pallieres, PSE is a well-recognized charity, home to nearly 7,000 students who are educated, fed, provided with healthcare and vocational training skills. ...
Ten Soksreinith and Hean Socheata
http://www.voacambodia.com/a/a-meal-for-a-child-smile-the-living-legacy-of-christian-des-pallieres/3744006.html
Child torturer won’t be extradited, mother says
Despite initial hopes that the man who tortured her 2-year-old son last year would face trial in Cambodia, the child’s mother said on Tuesday that Vietnamese police have informed her that the abuser would not be extradited from Vietnam. ...
Phan Soumy
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/child-torturer-wont-be-extradited-mother-says-125580/
Jolie’s film reopens wounds, brings catharsis to survivors
Watching the premiere of Angelina Jolie’s new film “First They Killed My Father” in the shadows of the ancient ruins of Angkor on Saturday night, Riem Vet was transported back to his teenage years living under the Pol Pot regime. ...
Sek Odom and George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/jolies-film-reopens-wounds-brings-catharsis-to-survivors-125415/
Social services to be improved
The government, Hagar International and Save the Children are teaming up to address the country’s lack of social workers, hoping to beef up the social service sector and deal with the growing number of children in residential care facilities – informally known as orphanages. ...
Jonathan Greig
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/35326/social-services-to-be-improved/
Survey counts homeless youth
Cambodia’s seven largest urban centres are home to nearly 2,700 homeless adolescents who face numerous health and education-related obstacles, according to a new study by the Cambodian National Institute of Statistics, Columbia University and Friends International. ...
Cristina Maza
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/survey-counts-homeless-youth