COSECAM News

Cambodians celebrated the 61st anniversary of the International Children's Day and the 9th anniversary of the World Day against Child Labor on June 1, 2010 in Phnom Penh.

An estimated 700 children gathered at the National Institute of Education to mark the annual event which is presided over by a deputy prime minister and joined by relevant ministers, high-ranking officials, representatives from international organizations and both local and international nongovernmental organizations.

Around 300 children also gathered at the Chak Angre Leu Pagoda to mark the international children's day, organized by the Cambodian Children Against Starvation and Violence Association, in collaboration with the local authorities.

The theme of the International Children's Day this year is "Together, we increase attention to children for human resources development", and the theme of the World Day against Child Labor is "Go for the Goal—End Child Labor".

Hundreds of children urged the government on Tuesday to give them one more holiday from next year.

"Before, it was our holiday, but now it is not. It's a children's day, but it seems a very normal day. Children still go to schools. In theory, children are very much valued, but in reality, it's not. For example, they are not allowed to take holiday to enjoy their day," said a girl, who participated in the event.

In response to the request, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Relations and Inspection, H.E. Men Sam An, who presided over the ceremony, said she would convey the request to Prime Minister Hun Sen for consideration.

She said that children are the strong pillar of the society and are the significant source for the country's development.

H.E. Men Sam An said, "The Royal Government acknowledges that children's issue remains challenging; for example, maternal and infant mortality rate, education quality, domestic violence, drug abuses, child labor, and children in conflict of the law. The government has been keen to address these issues for the future of children, by integrating these issues into various national action plans and strategies."

H.E. Ith Sam Heng, Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, said Cambodian children aged between five and fourteen are involved in income-generating activities and some of them are in worse form of labor due to poverty.

"In this case, children often face labor exploitation, which affects their health, work accidents which make them become disabled and less clever, culminating in the loss of human resources," H.E. Ith Sam Heng said.

He said 992 people fell victims of human trafficking in 2009. Of these victims, 215 were repatriated from Thailand, 773 from Vietnam, and four from Malaysia. 515 of victims were children and they were rehabilitated and reintegrated. In 2009, the number of women and girls who are victims of in-country human trafficking was 469 and have been protected in both state-run and NGOs' shelters. Meanwhile, 1,474 victims were reintegrated.

Cambodia's census in 2008 showed that the number of children aged 6 and more attending school or educational institution in Cambodia have increased from 2,488,235 to 3,390,690 (36.27 percent) during 1998-2008.

In the urban and rural areas the increases are from 573,941 to 697,760 (21.57 percent) and from 1,914,294 to 2,692,930 (40.67 percent) respectively.

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