Today marks the 26th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The Cambodian government ratified the CRC on October 15, 1992, thus guaranteeing the protection and promotion of the four main baskets of rights of children in Cambodia: “the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.”

In the spirit of the CRC, the Child Protection Group (CPG) network, with support from LICADHO, is releasing a storybook video: “The Last Day of Lang Reng.” This fictional work voices the concerns of young Cambodians regarding the rapid deforestation and environmental destruction they see taking place across their country.

The plot of the storybook follows two children from the future, Mora and Riya, who land on Planet Lang Reng to find that its environment has been completely destroyed. They meet a parrot who tells them what happened: about the humans who came to cut down the beautiful forests for ‘development,’ the animals who tried to stop them, and the lion king who allowed the humans to destroy the environment after accepting bribes.

The storybook highlights the importance of protecting the environment to safeguard the rights and the future of all people. It also demonstrates how children and youth can positively shape their future societies if their opinions and suggestions are heard and taken seriously.