First of June Calls for Encouragement for Children to Have Full Rights and Education – Tuesday, 2.6.2009

Posted on 2 June 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 615
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“Phnom Penh: First June is the International Child Labor Day which is celebrated countrywide. In Cambodia, the government does not include First of June as a day off, but it is seen that different organizations working with children celebrate this International Child Labor Day.

Note:

It is interesting that there are several different world wide initiatives to focus on the situation of children by observing a special day. There is also confusion in the media which one is which. It is difficult to see whether the multiplicity of occasions and organizations involved is a sign of strength or not – even for the name of the 12 June memorials there are three different versions. Only some of the various sources are linked here:

- 1 June International Children’s Day
- 4 June International Day of Innocent Children – Victims of Aggression
- June 12 International Child Labor Day/World Child Labor Day/World Day Against Child Labour [for downloading PDF file]
- 20 November Universal Children’s Day

“A program official of the Krousar Thmey organization, Mr. Sok Sophana, said that the government and organizations working for children’s rights celebrate this event, and working teams of the Krousar Thmey Organization campaign along the streets from 1 to 5 June 2009 to encourage street children to know their rights.

“The challenging conditions children face now are labor abuse, sexual abuse, and violence against children. Mr. Sok Sophana acknowledged that the conditions of children at present are improving; however, child sex trafficking is occurring at a worrying rate. He added that this results from poor family living condition and from the social environment.

“It should be noted that according to the website of a Cambodian children’s organization, it is estimated that there are about 100,000 prostitutes countrywide. In Phnom Penh, there are about 17,000 prostitutes, among which 30% are children under the age of eighteen selling sexual services, involving around 5,000 children.

“A report of the Cambodian Children’s Fund shows that the Cambodian conditions for children are among the condition of countries with the most serious abuse cases against children in the world. Cambodian children are hurt by the society, through labor exploitation, sexual trafficking, and domestic violence. What causes children to fall in such bad situations are poor family living conditions, incompetent parents, and chronic diseases which force children to seek income to support their families. The report continues to say that 38% of nearly 5 million Cambodian children under the age of fifteen cannot gain education due to their economic problems and their social environment.”

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #200, 2.6.2009
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Tuesday, 2 June 2009