Plan Cambodia's Supriyanto with Deputy PM Men Sam On.

26 October 2011: Plan Cambodia was this week honoured with a medal from the government for its valued contribution to the protection of the rights of children, who make up more than 40 percent of the country’s population. 

The medal was presented to Supriyanto, Plan Cambodia’s country director, by Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam On in capital Phnom Penh on 25 October during the national launch of a report on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“The government has done a lot in its efforts to protect children and promote and implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, the challenges remain big. I am glad that Plan Cambodia is well recognized for its work on children's rights,” said Mr Supriyanto.

Reaching out

Plan works independently and through partners to teach 10,000 children and youths in 11 provinces about how to take part in decision-making to liberate their families and communities from abuse.

One of Plan’s partner organizations, Krousar Yoeung (“Our Family”, in English) has also received a medal for its hard work, this time from the government of France through the French Embassy in Cambodia.

“The medal I received is to a certain extent owed to Krousar Yoeung’s cooperation with Plan since 2006 to provide start-up education to children and to provide survival means to parents, especially those in very poor communities,” said Ky Samphy, Krousar Yoeung director.

Plan has worked in Cambodia since 2002, reaching more than 500,000 children in 38 communities.

One programme in Cambodia sees Plan team up with the government to ensure all citizens have registered birth certificates, which has contributed to the number of registered citizens increasing from 5% to 92%. 

Find out more about what Plan does in Cambodia.