Over 1,500 people across two provinces are expected to join parades and events in the coming days to raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking. The events will take place in Prey Veng and Kampong Cham provinces on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 December to mark Anti Human Trafficking Day.
These events will mark the culmination of three years of work by CARE Cambodia with the financial support from the European Union to educate people on how to migrate for work safely to reduce their risk of exploitation.
"Transparency and access to right information are key in any open society for the promotion and protection of human rights. The European Union, as one of the main Cambodian development partners, is delighted to support the work implemented by civil society, local and international, including CARE Cambodia, in promoting and protecting vulnerable people from risks of human trafficking and exploitation," said H.E. Jean-François Cautain, EU Ambassador to Cambodia.
According to the Cambodian National Institute of Statistics, 35 percent of the Cambodian population are migrants, with people migrating both domestically and internationally for jobs. This can lead to significant personal and financial risks. Prey Veng and Kampong Cham are both considered to be significant sources of migrants.
54 community volunteers have been trained by CARE Cambodia and its partner Cambodian Women for Peace and Development (CWPD) to share information so that people can make informed decisions before migrating. These volunteers have also helped to resolve problems for those who have migrated by making communities’ voices heard at provincial level. This has allowed those in forced labour to receive support to return home and communities to have confiscated documents returned to them by brokers.
"It is very important that community members have the right information to make informed choices about migrating for work and that provincial authorities are made aware of any issues people encounter. The connections that have been made between communities and decision makers have been vital for helping increase legal migration in this area and supporting authorities to have accurate information on the real situation within communities,” said Stav Zotalis, CARE Cambodia Country Director. “These events will be a great way to celebrate communities’ successes in combating human trafficking while ensuring that this important knowledge is shared as widely as possible.”
During the parades, information will be shared to help people understand the process for migrating legally, emphasise the importance of not signing contracts they cannot read and supporting people to speak with local authorities to get the right documents before they depart
Attendees will include students, teachers and community leaders, as well as district and provincial representatives. The Chair of the National Committee for Counter-Trafficking will also be in attendance in Prey Veng, while in Kampong Cham events will be presided over by the chairman of the committee to lead on Suppression of Human Trafficking, Smuggling, Labour and Sexual Exploitation (STSLS).
The Anti Human Trafficking day event in Kampong Cham will be held on 11 December. It will take place at Chamkar Loeu District Hall from 7am. Partners include the International Labor Organization, Children and Life Association, Phnom Srey organisation and WinRock International.
The Anti Human Trafficking day event in Prey Veng will be held on 12 December. It will take place at Kampong Ampil Pagoda, Kampong Ampil commune, Peareing District starting at 6.30am with a parade. Partners include the National Committee For Counter Trafficking, Cambodian Women for Peace and Development, WinRock International, Cambodian Children Against Starvation and Violence Association, World Education, Children and Life Association, Cambodian Labour Confederation.
CARE's work in Prey Veng and Kampong Cham provinces forms part of the Safe Migration and Reduced Trafficking (SMART), funded by CARE Austria and the European Union. CARE is an international development organisation fighting global poverty, with a special focus on working with women and girls to bring sustainable changes to their communities.
For further information, please contact:
Eart Pysal
Project Manager, SMART
CARE Cambodia pysal.eart@careint.org
+ 855 78 877 456