An independent evaluation recognising Cambodia’s progress on tackling violence against children has recently been released at an event co-hosted by the Cambodian Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) and UNICEF.

The evaluation examined the Cambodian Government’s Action Plan to Prevent and Respond to Violence Against Children, which ran between 2017 and 2021.

Minister of the MoSVY Vong Sauth said the evaluation is very encouraging for the government, showing that Cambodia is on the right track to ending violence against children.

Foroogh Foyouzat, UNICEF’s Representative in Cambodia, said this evaluation shows progress in certain areas, but there is still much more to be done.

She recommended the finalisation of the upcoming child protection bill, and increased investment in the social welfare workforce and prevention programmes in a bid to keep children safe and break the vicious cycle of violence that afflicts too many families.

The latest figures from the Cambodia Health and Demographic Survey 2022 reveal that 43% of children report that they are disciplined in the home using physical violence./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency