Cambodia
Cambodia is still recovering from the Khmer Rouge’s brief but destructive reign between 1975 and 1979. One-third of the Cambodian population – 2 million people – were killed and the economy, infrastructure and social structures left in tatters.
Cambodia: the facts
Cambodia is still one of Asia’s least developed countries. Seventy-eight percent of Cambodians live on less than $2 per day and a large income gap has developed between the urban and rural populations. The richest 10 percent earn 35 percent of the national income, while the poorest 10 percent have just 3 percent.
Nearly half the Cambodian population is under 20 years of age and is involved in forestry, fishing and agriculture. Although 75 percent of Cambodian children attend primary school, less than half complete it and only 24 percent of boys and 21 percent girls graduate to secondary school. There is also a severe lack of technical and vocational training facilities.
Most Cambodians have limited access to basic healthcare, safe drinking water and sanitation. The infant mortality rate is 53 deaths per 1,000 live births and almost 50 percent of Cambodian children suffer from chronic malnutrition. Common diseases include acute respiratory infection, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
Landmines are still scattered throughout the country, injuring on average two people per day and placing a high demand on the nation’s health infrastructure.
Cambodia is one of the world’s key transit destinations in the global commercial sex trade. Between 50,000 and 100,000 women and children are currently involved in the industry and thousands more are trafficked from Vietnam and China to work in the country’s brothels. It has been estimated that 30 percent of sex workers in the capital, Phnom Penh, are under 18 years of age.
Caritas Australia in Cambodia
Through our 9 local partners Caritas Australia implemented 10 projects in Cambodia in 2010/2011. A total of $1,172,876 was spent on projects covering a variety of issues including Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture, Basic Health, and Water and Sanitation.
The Cambodian Government is considering a new non-government organisation (NGO) law which will seriously restrict the ability of NGOs to undertake human rights programs, potentially affecting Caritas’ land rights efforts.
Snapshot of our recent work
- Caritas Australia’s local partners have supported over 160 families in Phnom Penh’s slum communities with livelihood training for youth and infrastructure construction such as roads and drainage.
- The Rural Livelihood Enhancement Project has increased income among Cambodian villagers by introducing new techniques in chicken-raising, kitchen gardening and agriculture cultivation. Community training in health issues, access to health services and clean water and household sanitation were also conducted.
- 6 villages around Kampong Thom have been provided with clean water, improved health access and an education on human rights which has contributed to a reduction in violence against women and children. Awareness raising on flood preparedness and climate change was also carried out in a further 11 villages.
- The Maryknoll Deaf Development program provided basic education training for 84 deaf adults and jobs training to a further 33 in remote provinces.