The Prime Minister marks the Children’s Days with an emphasis on child protection, especially against online abuse and exploitation.
Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, who is also Honorary President of the Cambodia National Council for Children (CNCC), sent the message in an open statement to cheer the 75th International Children’s Day on June 1, the 23rd World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, and the Cambodian Children’s Day 2024.
The advancement of digital technology comes with challenges such as online crimes, kidnapping, trafficking and exploitation, and sexual harassment and abuse, he said in the statement.
Children and youth have become primary targets of the crimes, he added, underscoring an equally important urgency to address forced labour among children and severe forms of child labour.
According to Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, in addressing online crimes, the government ratified the WePROTECT statement of actions in 2015 against child sexual exploitation and abuse online and jointly ad
opted the ASEAN statement for the same purpose in 2019.
On the ground, the government is implementing the National Policy on Child Protection System 2019-2029 through capacity building for competent authorities, public awareness building campaigns, and accessible intervention mechanisms.
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet spoke highly of achievements and milestones in child rights promotion and protection made possible through the hard work of the CNCC, concerned ministries and government bodies, development partners, the private sector, as well as individual families and communities.
The Premier advised full compliance with all the action plans and closer cooperation among all players, including the mass media, particularly to increase awareness of online risks among children and youth.
The statement also highlighted the main outcomes of the promotion of the rights to survival, education, and participation of children by the government.
They include the reduction of maternal, infant, and child mortality rates,
improved nutrition for pregnant women and children, equitable access to education with information technology mainstreaming, quality learning and teaching, scholarships for students from poor households, and social assistance schemes that significantly benefit vulnerable children.
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse