Children playing games during the Kean Svay celebrations

In June 2010, LICADHO helped organized two events to promote the rights of children in Cambodia. International Children's Day was celebrated on June 1st, with the slogan "Community Without Trafficking." The World Day Against Child Labour occurred on June 12th under the theme "I protect the children, do you?"

The two events are celebrated every year to highlight children's rights and promote prevention and elimination of the worst forms of child labor. The aim is also to draw public attention and increase awareness of children's rights violations.

International Children's Rights Day
International Children's Rights Day in 2010 was celebrated in Kean Svay district, in the Kandal province. The aim was to raise local awareness and stakeholder participation for issues concerning children's rights, specifically child trafficking and the worst forms of child labor, which are common in the area.

The event included helium balloons, quizzes, games, singing and dancing. Advocacy materials were also distributed to the 250 participants, who included local communities (with many children in attendance), child protection groups, local authorities, students from Korki school, HCC centre children, a group of students from Mukkampul, commune council members, and the district chief.

LICADHO also celebrated International Children's Day in 14 prisons it monitors throughout Cambodia. Children living in prison require outside assistance to meet their basic nutritional needs. Food and other essentials were distributed to the children, their mothers, pregnant women, youths as well as the children of prison guards.

Currently, there are 814 minors (between the ages of 13 and 18) being held in prisons monitored by LICADHO. An additional 54 children under the age of eight are being detained along with their mothers in prison.

The World Day Against Child Labour
"When I was putting the soil into the mixing machine, the soil became stuck, so I tried to push it in. Suddenly, the machine caught my arm and pulled it inside. After the incident, I returned to my hometown to live with my single father and three younger brothers. I must look after all of them, because my father is mentally weak. I feel hopeless. My dreams are destroyed, because I am disabled and uneducated. I don't know what I can do besides tending cows every day. I left school in grade 1, when I went to work at the brick factory."

This is the situation of a 16-year-old boy who lost his left arm while he was working in a brick factory. This story highlights the harsh life experienced by many children, who find themselves exploited for cheap labour in dangerous work environments.

A long march on the world day against child labourThe World Day Against Child Labour on June 12th was remarkable. The aim was to sensitize the public with regard to issues of child labour, particularly in brick factories. LICADHO, in collaboration with World Vision, organized a demonstration with approximately 400 people.

Participants, including children from a brick factory, community children, and villagers, all rode in cars and tuk-tuks from Chinik village to the Pannha pagoda, in the Sangke district of Battambang province. Many brick factories are located in this area. Posters, books, leaflets and other advocacy materials pertaining to children rights were distributed.

Chhay Virakyuth performing for the 5,000 strong crowdFrom 3:00pm to 10:00pm, a concert, also organized by LICADHO and World Vision in Sangke district, rocked on near the brick factories. It was hosted by two local personalities and featured performances by pop singers Khemmarak Srey Pov and Chhay Virakyuth. The concert attracted nearly 5,000 people, and also featured on stage quizzes and games for children.

This was the sixth advocacy event organized by LICADHO and World Vision Cambodia under the theme of 'I protect children, do you?' since 2007.

LICADHO strongly urges the Cambodian Government to turn their attention to children living in prisons with their mothers, by providing adequate food, sanitation and legal representation.

LICADHO also calls on the public, especially brick factory owners, as well as workers and parents, to abandon the practice of children working in brick factories because of its adverse effects on child development, most notably schooling and health.