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Phnom Penh, 12 September 2019 – The Royal Government of Cambodia commits to ending all forms of violence against children, becoming the 26th pathfinding country in the world. Today, in a high-level event hosted by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children (GPEVAC), Cambodia reinforced its dedication to fully implement the inter-ministerial Action Plan to Prevent and Respond to Violence Against Children.

Cambodia is the fourth country in the region to officially join GPEVAC and become a pathfinding country, after Indonesia, the Philippines and Mongolia.

The commitment is timely as Cambodia accelerates efforts to achieve its vision of becoming an upper middle-income country by 2030 and high-income country in 2050.

In Cambodia, one in two children experience at least one form of violence before they reach the age of 18[i]. Violence has serious long-term consequences on children’s lives, their development and the future of their communities. Children who experience violence can face physical and mental impairments, decreased self-esteem, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, and are more likely to become perpetrators or victims later in life.

His Excellency Vong Sauth, Minister of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation said: “In response to violence against children, the Government, under the wise leadership of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, is always committed to respect and promote the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) to ensure that children can live in freedom, peace and prosperity. The government has adopted many measures, including formulations of laws, policies, strategic plans, and legal procedures, to improve child protection. In this context, Cambodia became the leading country in the ASEAN region to conduct a national survey on violence against children. This scientific study clearly identified the scale of the problem and found concreate evidence of physical, sexual and emotional violence that children experienced. Based on these results, an Action Plan to Prevent and Respond to Violence Against Children 2017-2021 was established to address violence against children on time and to promote sustainable child protection and development solutions for every child.