Life in the hell hole of the Kingdom of Extraordinary Wonder (KEW)

While these elegant ladies and men celebrated child labor day in air-conditioned conference room...

Outside, under the scorching sun, young girls and boys try to honestly earn their keep

Cambodians rally against child labour

Sunday, June 12, 2011
AFP

PHNOM PENH — Hundreds of Cambodian school children marched through the country's capital on Sunday to mark the World Day Against Child Labour, waving banners calling for an end to the widespread practice.

The demonstration was organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Cambodian government, who have set a goal of ending the worst forms of child labour in the country by 2016.

They also announced the launch of an ambitious programme to rid Phnom Penh's popular riverside area of child workers by this time next year.

Menacherry Paul Joseph, head of the ILO's anti-child labour programme in Cambodia, said it was "a shame" that young children could be seen begging or selling books and souvenirs to tourists until late at night.

"Cambodia is truly a kingdom of wonder (sic!). Let us make it a kingdom without child labour ," he said at the rally, where demonstrators waved banners saying "Warning! Children in hazardous work - End child labour".

Children in Jail in Cambodia

Orm Makara (C), 2, stands near his mother Keo Sovannary, 28, who is a prisoner in Prey Sar prison, west of Phnom Penh, June 1, 2007. Human rights groups offered food to more than 500 prisoners, including prenatal women and children, during International Children's Day. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Ouk Sarom (L), 29, who is a prisoner, holds her child, Yen Vinean, 2, in Prey Sar prison, west of Phnom Penh, June 1, 2007. Human rights groups offered food to more than 500 prisoners, including prenatal women and children, during International Children's Day. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodian prisoners look from their prison cell in Prey Sar prison, west of Phnom Penh, June 1, 2007. Human rights groups offered food to more than 500 prisoners, including prenatal women and children, during International Children's Day. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Cambodian prisoners receive gifts from a human rights group representative in Prey Sar prison, west of Phnom Penh, June 1, 2007. Human rights groups offered food to more than 500 prisoners, including prenatal women and children, during International Children's Day. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

A Cambodian girl (C) stands near her mother, who is a prisoner, in Prey Sar prison, west of Phnom Penh, June 1, 2007. Human rights groups offered food to more than 500 prisoners, including prenatal women and children, during International Children's Day. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea

Licadho Prepares Gifts for Children of Inmate Mothers on Child Labor Day

Seng Ratana, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
31/05/2007

The rights organization Licadho is preparing gifts to be distributed to children in prisons, as Cambodia prepares to celebrate Child Labor Day, June 1.

In conducting a campaign called "Children in Prison: No Place to Grow Up," Licadho said it was seeking to raise child inmates, some of them incarcerated, some of them living with their imprisoned mothers, who are often overlooked and lack education and health care.

"Even if the children want to attend schools, if the mothers are destitute, they have no possibility to pay the fees so their children can go to school," said Licadho prison project program coordinator Chin Lida.

Across 15 prisons, Cambodia has more than 579 young prisoners and 42 children who live with inmate mothers.

Children of inmate mothers are forced to live off leftover food, Chin Lida said.