Stopping exploitation in seafood industry | Plan International

Stopping exploitation in seafood industry

Thailand is a major destination for migrant workers – particularly those from Cambodia – who travel across borders to seek employment opportunities within the seafood industry. Due to poverty and poor household economic conditions, Cambodian children and youth have the highest risk for ending up in exploitive work situations and not to attend school.

fishing industry

To address this issue, Plan International launched a project in Thailand and Cambodia which aims to redefine the Thai Seafood sector to one of education, skills building and social protection, with a focus on children and youth.

Quality education is key to preventing child labour, protecting children and creating non-hazardous work opportunities for young adults.

In the last year, Plan International has set up education facilities (known locally as ‘learning centres’) across three provinces in Thailand that provide language (Thai, Khmer and English) support, mathematics and life-skills training for young migrant children from Cambodia.

learning center

The learning centre also assists children in their transition into Thai public primary schools in their localities. Simultaneously, Plan International educates parents and community members about the importance of education and non-hazardous work.

For many children, the learning centre is their first exposure to any form of schooling, and the place where they can learn to read and write within the protection and guidance of local Thai teachers who speak and teach in Khmer Cambodian language. Students at the learning centres range from four to 14 years of age and are divided into three levels according to their skills.

In Thailand, the SEAS project will support 1,500 children (ages 4-14 years) through access to pre-primary education, formal education, and alternative skills and entrepreneurship training.