HumanTrafficking.org | Cambodia International Organization: International Labour Organization (ILO/IPEC)

A web resource for combating human trafficking

Cambodia

International Labour Organization (ILO/IPEC)

Address

ILO Mekong Project to Combat Trafficking in Children and Women (Cambodia)
Phnom Penh Center, Building B, 3rd Floor, Corner of Sihanouk Blvd & Sothearos Blvd
Chamkar Mon
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Contact Information

If calling from Cambodia:

Tel: 023 220 817
Fax: 023 221 536

If calling from overseas:

Tel: +855 23 220 817
Fax: +855 23 221 536

In 2003, ILO/IPEC funded a project in coordination with AFESIP in order to provide rehabilitation assistance to victims of trafficking composed of nonformal education, vocational training, and income generating activities. At the Thai-Cambodian border, ILO/IPEC funded a similar project with Cambodian Children And Handicap Development (CCHDO). With the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center (CWCC), ILO/IPEC helped build the capacity of CWCC to provide rehabilitation assistance to child victims of sexual exploitation. With the Cambodian Centre for the Protection of Children's Rights (CCPCR), ILO/IPEC funded an integrated prevention, protection, and rehabilitation programme for girls at risk and victims of sexual exploitation in Sinhanouk Vile.

TICW Project Briefing, Stakeholders and Partners Phase I in Cambodia:

In phase I, the TICW project intervened mainly in sending areas including Prey Veng, Phnom Penh, Sihanouk Ville, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey. The project focused on prevention of TICW through capacity building, strengthening, networking and mechanisms for TICW prevention, awareness-raising, rural skills training, income generation and other alternative livelihoods.

In Cambodia, the principal coordinating body for children's affairs is the Cambodian National Committee for Children (CNCC), with which the project has a working relationship. The CNCC is chaired by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour, Vocational Training and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSALVY). The MoSALVY has also been working with the project in Phase I through the NSC, and the Ministry of Women and Veteran Affairs has also taken an interest in trafficking in children and women and has been chosen as the national government focal point for UNIAP. Provincial Steering Committees dealing with trafficking prevention were established in Phase I of the project in Prey Veng and Sihanoukville provinces, while efforts are under way in collaboration with UNICEF and IOM at the national level and in target provinces where the TICW project is operating. The project is continuing to work with these bodies at national and sub-national levels in Phase II.

Present TICW Phase II Project Activities in Cambodia:

In Cambodia, TICW Phase II is carrying out research and rapid assessments in sending and transit provinces including Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Kampong Cham and Banteay Meanchey, as well as receiving areas, like Phnom Penh/Kandal, Sihanouk Ville and Siem Reap.

For phase II, a partnership selection process is ongoing. However, the previous partners from Phase I have been encouraged to apply for Phase II Action Programmes.*

In sending/transit areas: Rapid assessments were carried out in 2004 through the National Stakeholder Exercise (NSOE) workshop where target areas were discussed and selected. Action Programmes began in early 2005.

In Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Kampong Cham, similar project interventions to Phase I are being applied such as awareness raising, rural skills training, credit schemes, income generation, and other alternative livelihood methods.

In receiving areas: Baseline surveys were carried out in 2004 in the sector of beer promotion girls for Phnom Penh, children and women in prostitution in Sihanouk Ville, and hotel and guest house workers in Siem Reap.

The findings of both exercises will serve as the basis for knowledge sharing and justifications for identifying the specific types of interventions and project partners during the forthcoming PSOE in both areas (sending & receiving).

Two types of interventions are being implemented:

Promoting safer migration of intended migrant workers, by reducing unsafe migration from the sending sources to receiving areas, and cross-border (referring to the bilateral MOU between Thailand and Cambodia: Trafficking & Employment) through awareness raising, capacity building and strengthening of infra-structure, institutions and mechanisms at the disposal of the authorities.
Providing alternative livelihood options through formal and non-formal education, rural skills training and direct assistance for those who do not want to migrate. The project is targeting selected gate-way communities along the border. In addition, cross-border networks and bilateral cooperation between the cross-border provinces would be taken into consideration during the period of implementation.

Focus on demand in Cambodia and across borders: With specific interventions identified and implemented based on the findings and recommendations of the baseline surveys mentioned above for Phnom Penh, Sihanouk Ville and Siem Reap, it is expected that interventions would take the form of preventative measures aimed at improving the working conditions of those involved in the sectors.

For receiving areas outside Cambodia (e.g. Thailand): The project will focus on labor migration management in Thailand (through joint meetings, workshops, training and capacity building exercises, especially relating to developing effective pre-departure services on the Cambodian side). This will take the form of technical cooperation within the context of the two bilateral MOUs signed by the two countries in 2003: "Cooperation in the Employment of Workers" and "Bilateral Cooperation for Eliminating Trafficking in Children and Women and Assisting Victims of Trafficking." To follow the spirit of these two MOUs, a joint effort with IOM is under way to build up the capacity of the Royal Government of Cambodia to promote safer labour migration and progressive prevention of trafficking in children and women through the legalization of illegal migrants in Thailand and enhancement of effective legal labour migration management systems.

In 2005 ILO published an Analysis Report of the Baseline Survey for the TICW Project Phase II in Yunnan Province.

In 2005 The Mekong Sub-regional Project to Combat Trafficking in Children and Women published Tools for Prevention, Participatory Monitoring: Guidelines for Practitioners in the Fight Against Human Trafficking.