Plan’s work in Cambodia, which is centered on the rights of the child, focuses on 5 key areas:

• basic education
• health and hygiene practices
• water and sanitation
• child participation and protection
• economic security
• disaster risk reduction.
  

Basic education

We work to combat educational problems such as limited enrolment, a high drop-out rate, illiteracy and a generally low standard of educational achievement. We do this by addressing issues such as inadequate teaching facilities, poorly trained teachers, a lack of parental awareness, and poverty that compels children and young people to work rather than study.

Health and hygiene practices

Plan works to improve health knowledge and practices among adolescents and young adults by building the skills of health centre practitioners, improving the facilities they operate in, and especially nurturing better conditions and prospects for pregnant women and their babies.

Water and sanitation

This programme responds to problems caused by poor sanitation and personal hygiene.  It aims primarily to alert people - particularly at village level - to health dangers of dirty water, to promote accessibility to safe water and latrines in rural communities and in schools, and to encourage both duty-bearers and rights-holders to work together to improve sanitation.

Child participation and protection

Children have the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Plan Cambodia works to establish child safe communities where adults fulfill their moral and legal obligations to protect children, and promotes a system in which children are able to express their views to decision-making bodies.

We are also working with the government to ensure that all citizens have registered birth certificates. To date we have helped bring the total number of registered citizens up from 5% to 92%.

Birth certificates provide citizens with an official identity which allows them easier access to health care and education, as well as greater protection against trafficking and child labour. Learn more about our birth registration campaign. 

Economic security

This programme helps families to provide for their children and become resilient to economic shocks, such as the loss of a job or a disaster.

We focus on microfinance - such as small loans and savings schemes - for the poor; provide expertise in improving agricultural yields; find employment opportunities for disadvantaged youths, and empower the poorest families.

Disaster risk reduction

Our programme aims to help the country’s most impoverished people to identify disaster risks and strengthen their resilience. We focus on developing replicable strategies that protect the rights of children and young people during emergencies. Our work also contributes to national and international policies and practices.