Reducing vulnerability

The NPRS includes under the heading “Reducing Vulnerability”:  food security, human trafficking, HIV/AIDS, disaster management, mine action, environmental management, ethnic minorities, and gender.  To this list, NGOs wish to add disability and rehabilitation, small arms reduction, rights of children and older people, and rights of people facing involuntary resettlement.

Although included in the NPRS, with major donors focusing narrowly on health, education, agriculture and rural development there is a danger that issues of vulnerability will be inadequately addressed.  Various sectors important to decreasing vulnerability were initially excluded from the reporting requirements for the First NPRS Progress Report.  Many of these issues are handled by smaller government ministries and institutions that lack adequate resources to fulfil their respective roles.

Progress

The draft NPRS Progress Report Matrix indicates that, in 2003, MOSALVY failed to achieve many of its social protection objectives due to lack of funds, especially in relation to child protection activities.

The disability and rehabilitation sector also received a reduction in donor support, leading to a reduction in the number of physical rehabilitation centres from 16 in 2001 to 12 in 2003.  A Disability Law was drafted, with the aim of ensuring the access of disabled people to services and development programs.

Although the NPRS recommends research on ethnic minority communities to identify their development needs, the Ministry of Rural Development is still waiting for donor support to commence this research.

The MOWVA promoted gender mainstreaming through training of people and promoting gender analysis in 16 ministries.

A five-year Mine Action Plan 2003-2007 and strategy was developed and an Action Victim Assistance plan was drafted.  In 2003, 2,800 hectares were marked for clearance, benefiting an estimated 85,000 families.

The MAFF expanded and promoted a Special Programme on Food Security and began preparation of a Food Insecurity Vulnerability Information Mapping System.  Further support to nutrition improvement is expected through the Health Sector Support Project.

The MOE continued programmes to ensure the sustainable development of coastal areas, built its capacity in environmental impact assessment, and established a National Coordinating Committee on Persistent Organic Pollutants. [1]

Issues

Poverty has a major impact upon the lives of women and children. Many of the serious rights abuses they face in Cambodia, such as domestic violence, trafficking, sexual exploitation, and economic exploitation, arise out of unequal gender relations and are exacerbated by poverty. 

The NGO community believes that gender can not be treated as just a sectoral issue. It is essential that government, donors and NGOs alike see gender issues as being crosscutting. The development of disaggregated gender-related data across all sectors is essential if there is to be a significant shift in understanding and action on gender issues.

The NGO community regrets the failure of the National Assembly to meet in quorum and pass the Domestic Violence Law during 2003. Domestic violence affects some 25% of Cambodian women and is seldom punished, even when women are severely injured.

NGOs welcome the government’s increased cooperation with NGOs regarding combating the trafficking of women and children. The development of stronger cooperation has improved enforcement. This needs to continue and be strengthened, particularly at the provincial level.

The efforts made by the RGC to work towards the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are recognised by NGOs. However, serious problems relating to child rights, including child labour, sexual exploitation and juvenile justice continue and require further action.

There is growing evidence that drug use amongst children is an increasing problem. This is a matter of grave concern, as drug use can contribute to creating a sector of the population who are vulnerable to other poverty-related problems - for example increased criminality, and loss of education and job opportunities. The potential impact of increased drug use amongst the young has perhaps not been fully appreciated by all stakeholders within Cambodia thus far.

The NPRS also makes little reference to older people. Development activities are unlikely to have any positive impact on older people as long as they continue to be excluded and/or unrecognised in development efforts and benefits.

HIV/AIDS is pushing increasing numbers of families into poverty. Whilst much work has been successfully undertaken to educate people about HIV/AIDS, there remains a need to ensure that an effective integrated strategy for prevention and care is implemented. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS needs to be transformed into effective behavioural change throughout the population. This will involve not only continuing education about HIV/AIDS but also the development of education aimed at the general population regarding responsible sexual behaviour and gender concerns.

Effective care services need to be provided to those infected by HIV/AIDS, which includes ensuring the availability of medicines, ensuring that there is a countrywide implementation of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMCT) policy and the development of a national policy on Antiretroviral drugs. For those affected by HIV/AIDS, including children and wider family members, there remains the challenge of rebuilding families and income generation. It is important that Cambodia develops stronger counselling and psychological support services to reflect the needs of families and communities affected by HIV/AIDS.

The NPRS recognises that the government currently lacks an effective strategy to support the rights of indigenous minorities.  The NGO community welcomes the provisions in the Land Law which allow indigenous communities to claim communal title to their land. The development of pilot communal land titling projects is being monitored closely by NGOs. However, concerns remain regarding land concessions that establish industrial agricultural plantations in areas of native forest and reduce indigenous peoples access to their natural resources, thereby increasing poverty within these communities.

More generally speaking, when undertaking development projects in indigenous people’s areas it is essential that the people themselves have the opportunity to make decisions about their own futures. Effective decentralisation requires an ongoing commitment to support community and human development and to avoid the creation of a culture of dependency.

The NPRS chapter on vulnerability pays little attention to people with disabilities, one of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups within Cambodian society. However, the NPRS Action Plan Matrix does call for improved support to the disabled.  In Cambodia there remains no clear definition of “disability”. Official data is unreliable and understates the number of disabled. The NPRS also makes little reference to mental health and learning disabilities. It is essential that both the RGC and donors recognise disabilities and rehabilitation as important poverty reduction issues and take significant steps to increase support in terms of both human and financial resources.

Over the past few years Cambodia has suffered from a variety of floods and droughts, all of which have had significant impacts upon vulnerable communities. The NPRS recognises disaster management as a poverty reduction priority. The NGO community welcomes this emphasis and the efforts that have been made by the RGC and other stakeholders to strengthen disaster management. However, a clear strategy for disaster preparedness, relief, mitigation and rehabilitation is needed.  Warning systems and the dissemination of information need improvement.  Disaster preparedness at the village and commune levels needs financial support and improved accountability.

The development of urban areas, roads and other infrastructure is generally welcomed, but may lead to increased poverty for vulnerable communities facing involuntary resettlement.  There is currently a lack of legislation or national policy to protect the rights of people facing resettlement.

Finally, it should be noted that the ongoing presence of small arms has a disturbing impact upon vulnerable communities, adding to insecurity and a culture of violence and impunity. The NGO community recognises the action already taken by the RGC in collecting and destroying a large number of illegal weapons.  Nevertheless, weapons continue to be used in ways that threaten the security and well being of the poor, including acts of violence, land grabbing and intimidation.

 Recommendations

The NGO community makes the following recommendations in relation to vulnerable groups:

•        Donors should consider increasing their support to areas such as child protection, women’s rights, disabilities and ethnic minorities.  This should be complimented by a commitment from government to strengthen the capacity and budget allocation of the relevant ministries. 

•        Further research into drug use especially among children must be encouraged; and a national campaign should be developed to educate the population about the dangers of drug use.

•        The RGC needs to develop disaggregated gender-related data across all sectors which should then be widely disseminated to provide useful gender indicators and illustrate the extent of women’s particular needs and contribution to society.  Improved data on vulnerable groups such as ethnic minorities and people with disabilities is also needed.

•        The new National Assembly needs to thoroughly review and pass the Domestic Violence Law as a matter of priority. Following this, effective enforcement will be necessary.

•        The RGC should take steps towards adopting the “General Policy for Highland Peoples Development.” Cambodia needs a national policy which will allow indigenous peoples to guide their own development.

•        The draft Disability Law needs to be passed in order to protect the rights and interests of people with disabilities.

•        A long term plan is needed for the disability sector, ensuring a commitment to adequate funding for rehabilitation services, wheelchair access and access to government services.

•        A “National Resettlement Policy” should be developed through a participatory process to protect the rights of project-affected-people.  The RGC should then adopt this policy as a sub-decree, and then issue proclamations for implementation of the policy, with standards that apply to all projects.  At the same time, existing laws and procedures should be enforced to ensure transparency, protection and adequate compensation for affected people.  Poor people should also be given access to information and should be allowed to participate in the design of projects affecting them.

•        The Arms Law should be passed by the NA and its provisions vigorously enforced to ensure the removal of more illegal weapons from society.  At the same time, the RGC should take more effective measures to ensure security for the local community, especially those that are most vulnerable to security problems.  Existing weapons-related regulations need to be properly enforced.

•        The police and courts should ensure that persons arrested for criminal behaviour are not released as the result of the payment of compensation to the victim.

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