The Mirror, Vol. 11, No. 501
“The problem of children in Cambodia is a major problem that deserves public attention. Many organizations conducted their studies on related problems, such as the exploitation of child labor, the rape of street children, and other problems affecting children. Few organizations conducted studies on the punishments imposed on domestic child laborers, and no organization had done any detailed study on this subject, even though they realized that punishments were improper and an important topic that needs attention.
“There are two kinds of child punishment. The first kind is physical punishment: beating children by hand or using other objects, kicking them, pulling their hair, forcing them to live in an unsafe place, making them work too much, and inflicting burns or threatening them. The second kind is making children embarrassed or degrading them, such as mistreating them with contempt, or moral abuse, isolating them, or not taking care of them.
“The most worrying factor is punishment that Cambodian people use as a way to educate and discipline their children in their families, claiming that it is a good and correct way, and it is also usual, because they do not consider the impact of punishment imposed on children. On the other hand, a number of organizations’ research shows some similarities and differences about the punishments imposed on children.
“A comparative research by UNICEF (2001) shows that among the 500 children of a sample group aged from 9 to 17, who were going to school in Cambodia, 20% of them said that they had experienced many incidents of severe violence, and 44% of them said that they had been beaten by their parents.
“According to a survey on the physical punishment on 1,801 children, conducted by the Norwegian organization Save Children, in cooperation with the Departments of Education in Phnom Penh, Kompong Chnang, and Siem Reap, it showed that 72% of the children were punished by their fathers, and 28% of them had scars from having been wounded. 67.15% of the children felt upset and saddened by the punishments.
“At a center of World Vision it was discovered that among a group of 193 street children in Phnom Penh, 34% of them said that they left their homes to live on the streets because of violence and punishments.
“A research of a Cambodian women’s rights organization showed that children are the easiest target for violence by their fathers and mothers. Their mothers express their anger toward them, because many of their mothers are beaten by their husbands. In a national survey on risk taking behavior of youths in 2004, conducted by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, it showed that among 9,388 young people, 26% of those who were interviewed said that domestic violence occurred in their own families almost every ten days, and 14.4% of them said that domestic violence had happened more than once. Concerning domestic violence, 65% of this violence is the result of drinking alcohol, and in 38% it is caused by misunderstandings. Other causes are poverty (28%), gambling (16%), infidelity (14%), and ignorance (11%). 74% of young people said that mothers are vulnerable to domestic violence, whereas 50% of daughters and 41% of sons are considered to be vulnerable groups.” Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.14, #4246, 27.3.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Chakraval, Vol.15, #2664,27.3.2007
- [The opposition party leader] Sam Rainsy Was Surprised About The News Of A Case Of Corruption, Taking US$300,000 Related To The Boeung Kak Area Investment
- Internews Network Held A Workshop On How To Report On Investigations
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1301, 27.3.2007
- The Sultan Of Brunei Will Pay A Formal Visit To Cambodia In Early April
- Cambodian Economy Will Continue Its Improved Growth [manufacturing, industry, agriculture, tourism; especially the export of textiles and shoes are leading in encouraging economic growth]
- Information And Education On Leprosy For Garment Workers In Garment Factories [through the National Program For Leprosy Control]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #6001, 27.3.2007
- The Khmer Rouge Tribunal Will Be In Deadlock Because Of The Controversy Raised By Foreign Lawyers
- 62-Year-Old Elephant Was Stolen And Killed For Its One-Meter Ivory Tusks [in Ratanakiri]
- International Missions From Iraq And From Japan Came To Observe The Commune Council Elections In Cambodia [12-member delegation from Iraq supported by the US based International Republic Institute, and 10 Japanese observers]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4246, 28.3.2007
- The National Sub-Committee For Women’s And Children’s Iron Deficiency Control Is Lacking Support And Funds
- The Punishment Imposed On Domestic Child Laborers In Cambodia
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #3000, 27.3.2007
- Does Sam Rainsy Receive US$60,000 Per Month From [Deputy Prime Minister] Sok An In Exchange For Keeping Silence On Three Important Issues? [first, attacks of the Prime Minister; second, no more discussion about the grenade attack in front of the National Assembly 1997; third, no more references to the revelations by Heng Pov, the former Municipal Police Commissioner, now in prison, who claimed that leaders and top-ranking officials of the Cambodian Government were involved in major criminal cases]
- [The president of COMFREL] Koul Panha Claimed That The Ruling Party Used State Funds And Materials To Serve The Interests Of Their Own Party
Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #362, 27.3.2007
- Vietnamese Doctors Reduced The Medical Fees For Panhapich From US$500 To US$100 Per Day
- A Tragedy Of 10 Years Ago – The Grenade Attack In Front Of The National Assembly, For Which The Police Has Not Yet Finished Its Investigations
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