COSECAM News

A COSECAM report reveals that the Economic Development Support to Vulnerable and Trafficked Victims (EDVP) project has supported 141 vulnerable and victims of trafficking by providing life skills, vocational training, and funds to start small-scale businesses to improve their livelihood.

The report, revealed in a recent workshop in Prey Veng province, said that 86 percent of beneficiaries have continued their business activities, and some have been very successful. However, despite many attempts to help the remaining beneficiaries continue with their business, they have quit their business activities.

One of the beneficiaries, who had previously migrated to Thailand but had failed to achieve a better life, told theworkshop that as a result of EDVP project he now enjoyed a better livelihood and planned to build a new house. He also said that his children were now able to go to school.

"Between August (2009) and February (2010), I have saved up to US 375 dollars," said the beneficiary.

The EDVP project was launched in 2006 and was until 2008 supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through DAI-MSME. It is funded by the European Commission and is operational in three target provinces—Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng.

The purpose of the project has been to help trafficked victims and vulnerable people through vocational training, and providing an amount of capital to start business.

The recent workshop was aimed at evaluating the project implementation outputs in the three target provinces and identifying the strengths, weaknesses, challenges, resolutions and lessons learned in order to improve project implementations in 2010.

Nearly 40 people including Prey Veng Provincial Deputy Governor, Mrs. Tep Sam Oun, officials from Departments of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, Department of Women's Affairs, COSECAM staff, government counterparts, local authorities and beneficiaries from the three target provinces, participated the workshop.

COSECAM Coalition Director, Mr. Tuon Vicheth, said in the opening remark that the 2009 project achievements were a remarkable success in supporting trafficked victims and vulnerable people.

He said that Cambodia faced problems of human trafficking, and sexual and labor exploitation of women and children, and migration. Furthermore he explained that these problems were the result of poverty, low education and limited law enforcement. However, he said the government, national and international organizations were working together to solve all these problems.

"The problems we are facing today include human trafficking and labor and sexual exploitation notably in women and children, and migration. These problems happen to us everyday. The government, national and international organizations are joining hands to sort out these problems, and these issues are being resolved step by step," he said.

Prey Veng provincial deputy governor, Mrs. Tep Sam Oun, acknowledged that poverty, geographical situation, and lack of proper vocational training are the causes of unsafe migration, labor and sexual exploitation against people living in the three target provinces.

Mrs. Tep Sam Oun said, "Many research studies and data show that geographical factors, drought, lack of capital to start a small scale business, and lack of entrepreneurship and vocational education, have pushed people, mainly young women and families with daughters in the three target provinces into becoming susceptible to labor or sexual exploitation by perpetrators or pimps who promise them well-paid jobs in the city. They sell their lands and take risk migrating to the neighboring countries illegally, namely Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, to look for jobs."

Mr. Tuon Vicheth said that by improving law enforcement and family incomes, it will prevent further increases in human trafficking and sexual and labor exploitation.

Mr. Tuon Vicheth said, "We see that government agencies have taken some measures to prevent and suppress human trafficking. As a result, perpetrators have been arrested and sent to jails, and victims have been rescued. This is a positive result. However, law enforcement is still limited."

He also said that, "People can escape from trafficking, as long as their economy and livelihood is improved. But, how can their livelihoods be improved? This can be supported by providing vocational training and life skills, as well as financial support to start new businesses using the skills they have learnt in training to earn an income and support themselves."

Mrs. Tep Sam Oun called on officials from concerned departments and non-governmental organizations in the three target provinces to co-operate with the EDVP project in identifying right target groups and improving the family economy and quality of life of trafficked victims and vulnerable persons.

Mrs. Tep Sam Oun said, "I would like to encourage good co-operation in order to reduce poverty and vulnerability of our people in the community, especially, in Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Kampong Cham provinces."

On this occasion, Mrs. Tep Sam Oun, also thanked both recent and current donors of the EDVP project for helping the victims, vulnerable people and their families so that they could enjoy stable family incomes, and reducing their vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.

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