World bank calls on Cambodia to curb child labour

The Cambodian government must do more to help more than 1.4 million of the country's children estimated to be working, many for 50 cents a day or less, the World Bank said in a report released Wednesday.

The bank said that although rates had probably improved on 2001 estimates of 52 per cent of seven to 14 year olds already at work, the number was still too high and urgent action was needed. It said children active in the labour sector had a drastic effect on school enrolment and school performance, and that could have negative impacts on the economy for years to come if the trend was not reversed.

"Cambodia has made a number of important legal commitments in the area of child labour, but important ambiguities and gaps in legislation relating to child labour remain," the report, entitled Children's Work in Cambodia: A Challenge for Growth and Poverty Reduction, said.

The report, dated December 2006, said of particular concern was that most of the child labour appeared to be concentrated in informal and family settings where the Cambodia Labour Law has not been extended. "This means family-based agriculture and domestic service are not covered by legislation," it noted.

"The Law also does not specifically define what constitutes child labour in terms of type of work, conditions of work, or work hazards. The enforcement of child labour laws is another major challenge facing the government."

It said that the government by its own admission currently does not have the capacity to properly enforce and monitor laws relating to child labour but that it should be made a priority for the heavily aid dependent nation if its development goals are to be reached.