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Years of fighting have devastated Cambodia’s infrastructure and caused extreme social, economic and political unrest. Under the Khmer Rouge, families were systematically separated, resulting in a generation of children growing up without the care of their parents.
Cambodian children are today among the poorest in the world. Abject poverty has forced many children to become involved in dangerous work, often resorting to living and working on the streets to earn money to survive instead of going to school. Poverty also leaves children vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and at risk of being trafficked.
We work in the provinces of Battambang, Kompong Cham, Prey Veng and Svay Rieng where our work has two focuses: supporting and protecting children who end up living and working on the streets, and ensuring children who come into conflict with the law receive protection and fair treatment under the Cambodian justice system.
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What is EveryChild doing to help?
Protecting children in contact with the law
EveryChild has been instrumental in campaigning for a better juvenile justice system for children who face harsh sentences in adult prisons. We work with a local organisation which specialises in juvenile justice to ensure that children who are in trouble with the police, or who need to go court as victims of crime, have free legal services which protect their rights as children. For children who would normally be locked up in dangerous adult prisons for very minor offences, we try to find an alternative means of reprimand which does not involve prison. For children already in prison, we work to improve their living conditions by providing nutrition, medical care, education and vocational skills training. We also train prison staff and other officials on child rights and how best to protect the vulnerable children in their care.
Preventing violence against children
There are up to 20,000 children living and working on the streets of Cambodia. Many end up there because they have run away from situations like domestic violence and abuse. EveryChild works directly with families and communities to tackle the issues head-on. We do this through parenting skills classes, and raising awareness of the issues surrounding violence towards children through child clubs and community child protection networks.
Protecting children on the streets
For children living and working on the street, we run drop-in centres which are designed to provide activities which either support them in their life on the street, or help them return to their families. We help improve their education through literature, maths and sport activities, and support them to cope with their experiences through counselling sessions. The drop-in centres are a safe haven, a chance to escape the dangers of the street which include the risk of trafficking or getting into trouble with the police and local gangs.
Child prisoners in Cambodia
Photographer Matt Writtle recently travelled with EveryChild to see how poor children who become separated from their parents to live and work on the streets, are subject to violence and exploitation and may end up in prison without trial.
In this slideshow, produced for the Guardian website, Matt meets some children living and working on the streets in Cambodia, and gains unique access to some of Cambodia’s provincial prisons and children incarcerated there. > Watch and listen to our audio slideshow
Getting children back into families
EveryChild helps children who have lost parental care, particularly those who have experienced time in prison, to return to their families, or a family-type environment, and a childhood they deserve. Our counselling sessions for both parents and children equip them to deal with the emotional challenges of being reunited as a family.
What can you do to help?
Life on the streets has already taken Chanta's brother and sister. Please don't let the same thing happen to her.
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