Needs Assessment

Population Assets

Family

Family is considered to be the foundation of social life for most Cambodians. Compared to a nuclear household, many children have extended family living with them. Grandparents or other family may have positive effect on the children including behavior and school enrollment status (Ayres, 2000).

Religion

While Buddhism is the state religion, the law states that “freedom of belief and religious worship, provided such freedom neither interferes with others’ beliefs and religions nor violates public order and security” (Office of International Religious Freedom, 2021).

Organizations

The increase in human and child trafficking has been noticed through media coverage in recent years. Through news reports and articles, many organizations have volunteered to donate, send volunteers, or assist in any other ways (UNICEF, 2021).

Organizations

Cambodia's Children Fund (CCF)

The CCF team works hands on in Cambodia to offer support to people in need. Their mission is to "transfer the most impoverished children into tomorrow's leaders" (Cambodian Children's Fund, n.d.).

UNICEF

UNICEF works in Cambodia to promote the healthy development of children, to defend their rights and help them reach their potential. They work on protecting children, providing education, promoting hygiene and health (UNICEF, 2021).

Projects Abroad

Individuals may volunteer to support disadvantaged children at care centers by doing community work. Projects may include supporting local teachers and caregivers at daycare or educating children and improving their learning environment (Projects Abroad, n.d.).

For more information about organizations that can help the children in Cambodia

https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=57

Population Needs

Home Establishment

Many children live in poverty and do not have an established home in Cambodia. This poverty results in children being malnourished and living in harsh conditions (Humanium, 2021).

Family

While family is sometimes considered to be the foundation of social life in Cambodians, other times, children are sold by their families for financial needs. This may result in emotional or physical trauma (Ayres, 2000).

Health Management

Children’s health is at risk due to poor living conditions and being trafficked for work or sex. For instance, girls who were trafficked in commercial sex work have been exposed to various sexually transmitted diseases in brothels or complications caused by abortions (Derks, 1998).

Education (Formal & Informal)

Children continue to lack formal and informal education due to not being adequately prepared for school, poor living situations, and not attending school on a regular basis. Inadequate learning in the early years of life, coupled with insufficient nutrition, leaves children developmentally behind. In addition, children with poor living situations are often sent to work because their parents cannot afford to send them to school. It is estimated that more than 300,000 children are required to work to help support their family (UNICEF, 2021) .

Play Exploration

Due to poverty conditions, children marriage, and trafficking for all different purposes, children lack the opportunity to engage with others and explore leisure opportunities. 25% of young Cambodian wives confess to have been married before the age of 18 (Ayres, 2000).

Social and Emotional Health Promotion/Maintenance

Many children in Cambodia are faced with trafficking, child marriage, child labour, and poor living conditions. Thus, they have not learned how to identify personal strengths, manage emotions, or develop a self-identity (Derks, 1998).

Occupational Performance Issues (OPIs)

Formal Education Participation

Due to the cost of attending schools and many children working to help support their families, Cambodian children rarely attend school. The rate of children who attend school is very low in Cambodia.

Home Establishment

Low financial means, families living with extended members, and the lack of work results in Cambodian children having a harsh living environment or homelessness. This environment negatively impacts their occupations and quality of life.

Play Exploration

At a young age, children are sold into trafficking or marriage to help their families with financial needs. Therefore, children lack the opportunity to engage with other children and engage or explore leisure opportunities.

Social/Community Participation

Due to poverty conditions and low financial needs, children and their families rarely engage in social or community participation. In addition, children who are married at a young age or sold into trafficking experience emotional trauma which may limit their social engagement.

Sociopolitical Considerations That May Impact Occupational Performance

In 2008, the Cambodian government created a Law on the Suppression of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation. This law criminalized sex trafficking and labor trafficking. It states that "prescribed penalties of seven to 15 years’ imprisonment for offenses involving an adult victim and 15 to 20 years’ imprisonment for those involving a child victim" (Office of International Religious Freedom, 2021).
In recent years, trainings are given to police, prosecutors, judges, and other government officials. These trainings include 192 sessions on anti-trafficking laws, investigative techniques, and evidence collection (Office of International Religious Freedom, 2021).
The National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT) coordinated anti-trafficking activities and continues to implement a 2019-2023 national anti-trafficking action plan (Department of Justice, 2021).
The Minister of Women’s Affairs and the NCCT Vice Chair co-hosted two bilateral meetings on human trafficking with a foreign government in September 2020 and January 2021. Both of these meetings included attendance by senior Cambodian government officials (Office of International Religious Freedom, 2021).
The COVID-19 pandemic hindered government efforts to prosecute perpetrators and heighten awareness of child trafficking.
- In March 2020, Cambodian courts were closed for several months halting all judicial activity including investigations for trafficking (UNICEF, 2021).

Hear more about the lives of girls after spending part of their childhood in the trafficking system

References

Ayres, D. M. (2000). Tradition, modernity, and the development of education in Cambodia. Comparative Education Review, 44(4): 440–462. http://doi.org/10.1086/447629.

Cambodian Children’s Fund (n.d.). Stories and news. https://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/stories-news.

Department of Justice. (2021). Special Initiatives on Human Trafficking. U.S. Department of State. https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking/special-initiatives

Derks, A. (1998) Reintegration of victims of trafficking in Cambodia. International Organization for Migration.

Humanium. (2021, April 15). Children of Cambodia. https://www.humanium.org/en/cambodia/

Office of International Religious Freedom. (2021). 2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Cambodia [Annual report]. U.S. Department of State. https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/cambodia/.

Projects Abroad. (n.d.) Volunteering in Cambodia. https://www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-cambodia/

UNICEF. (2021, September 13). Saving lives and saving futures. https://www.unicef.org/cambodia/press-releases/saving-lives-and-saving-futures-why-time-right-school-re-openings