Despite notable advancements, many children in Cambodia, especially those in remote areas, still struggle to access quality education, healthcare, and clean water. Currently, one in ten children under five experiences wasting (acute malnutrition), a figure that has not improved over the last decade. In response to these challenges, a major initiative has been launched to promote the well-being of Cambodian children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, by ensuring their access to education, health services, and hygiene. Will Parks, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Cambodia, discussed these issues in a recent interview with Khmer Times.
KT: As we gather to launch the “Strengthen education, health, and hygiene for Cambodia’s most vulnerable children” project, can you elaborate on its key goals and objectives?
Parks: First, this is a very good example of partnership between the Ministry of Health, the People’s Republic of China’s International Programme, and UNICEF.
Three agencies are coming together really to focus on the children in the northeast of Cambodia, looking at newborn health, nutrition, and education to keep pre-primary and primary education, and also looking at water sanitation and hygiene in the five northeastern provinces—Stung Treng, Preah Vihear, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, and Kratie—where a lot of children are facing challenges despite some good progress having been made.
The objective is really to make sure that the children have the best start in life and also go to school healthy and in the environment, ensuring that they are not going to fall sick to preventable diseases.
KT: Will there be a plan to expand the project following this first phase?
Parks: Well, that’s part of the underlined principles of the partnership; we are making some successes there; we’ve got some good pilot tests and good models.
There’s a possibility that with additional support from our partners, such as the People’s Republic of China, we can expand to other provinces for them to get the same kind of support.
KT: As we acknowledged the importance of the first 1,000 days for children, through this project, how will it address the unique challenges faced by children, particularly the ones in rural areas?
Parks: The first 1,000 days, we call it the golden days of life, which start when a child is conceived in the mother’s womb and continue until the second year of life.
Really, we want to help families to make sure that the mothers are getting the best nutrition they can during pregnancies, and then when mothers give birth, we want to make sure that they can get the best quality care they can in the rural primary health care services.
Then during the early days, for example, the first six months of life for a child getting only breast milk, ensure that they get a good start in life and supplementary feedings and good diets as they grow old to the age of two.
Of course, parenting skills at that time are really important. That’s the other element of the project, and then we can send children to pre-primary and make sure they get good sanitation and nutritious food.
That 1,000 days is the foundation of life; we want to make sure all Cambodian children, regardless of their circumstances and backgrounds, get the best start in life.
KT: What do you think the government of Cambodia, as well as its partners, could’ve done better to address this issue?
Parks: Well, I think the last few years, and maybe going back two decades, the Cambodian government has done very well; it has made good progress.
But, in every country, there’s always a need for focus on the remote areas. Sometimes, despite the best efforts of the government, there’s always going to be gaps.
This project is really to help fill those gaps and make sure that no child is left behind, specifically in the northeast, where we know that there has been progress but there are also substantial challenges that we must meet together.
KT: Within this project with five northeastern provinces targeted, how can the local community engage in the project?
Parks: Local leadership at the community level is really important. There will be an element within the project to communicate with the local community and families using technology such as mobile phones to help them understand what it means to be a good parent.
And through the government’s mechanism, we’re reaching out through health workers and primary school teachers, making sure that they are also equipped with the skills to communicate with parents.
KT: How can the partnership ensure the sustainable practice of the project beyond funding and support?
Parks: We’re working with provincial administrations, and part of our relationships with them is to make sure that they understand what’s going to be required on their own investment plans for the provinces.
This is the pilot to show the key objectives that are going to be needed, and they can budget for those in the years to come so that they take over and then the sustainability comes.
KT: If you were to say something about the overall conditions of the Cambodian children, what would it be?
Parks: Well, I think the information that we have through various surveys in the last couple of decades shows that the situation for the children has improved.
There has been progress, but certain parts of the country where particularly vulnerable populations are at risk of being left behind, and this project and partnership are to ensure that this will never happen.