Children Suffer

The children of Cambodia are some of the most vulnerable in the world. They suffer extreme poverty, abuse and little protection from their government. Many are trapped in a world of poverty trying to survive by begging from the International tourists. The reality for many children in Cambodia is the following.

• Of Cambodia’s total population of 14.0 million, around 5.1 million (49.5%) are children under 18 years old and about 18% of children aged 5 to 17 years old are economically active. The average age at which a working child first starts working is 10.4 years.

• According to UNICEF and NGO reports, it is estimated that between 25% and 35% of commercial sex workers in the country are minors. Many young Cambodian girls are trafficked into Thai brothels every year, where they are subject to appalling working conditions amounting to sexual slavery. Substantial numbers of young girls from Vietnam, some as young as 9 or 10 years old, are trafficked into Cambodia to work in the brothels.

• Cambodia has a long history of child soldiers, especially under the Khmer Rouge. But, even today hundreds of children between 10 and 15 years are being conscripted in the north-western provinces. Soldiers demand 5,000 Riels per child from poor rural families to prevent recruitment into the army: if money is not paid, the boys are taken away.

• Over 400 children aged 5 to 17 are working at the Phnom Penh garbage dump. Only 35% of these children attend school and the majority of them have worked at the dump for over 3 years. They earn $0.50 to $1 per day. Many suffer work related illnesses.

• There is little regulation of the industrial sector in Cambodia, leading to employment of many children in small industries such as fish processing and brick factories. Many children suffer severe injuries such as loss of limbs in factory accidents.

• There are many street children in Cambodia. It’s estimated that there are 10,000 to 15,000 in Phnom Penh alone. Many of these children come from the provinces to assist with family income or to flee violence and poverty at home. More than two-thirds of these children have lost at least one parent. Many children are orphaned by Aids.
Source: Royal University of Phnom Penh

Many children in Cambodia don’t have any form of childhood. They suffer for the most basic needs of food, shelter, health care, education and protection from the sex-traders and pimps.
They are so very vulnerable.

Web Links

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights


Children. Abused. Vulnerable.