Poverty in Cambodia

Poverty is usually understood first and foremost to be about the lack of the basic material necessities for life. But in many societies the people who lack families or social networks are considered to be the poorest. For other reasons, the most kind of poverty arises from environmental destruction. Poverty is also expressed in an inability to participate in social, political and economic life. The situation of the poor inform us that poverty relates as much to poor income ability as to low development, vulnerability and powerlessness.

Due to poverty, the vast majority of women die from or are seriously injured by maternity-related causes which are in the prime of their lives, their illnesses and deaths have serious social and economic consequences for their families and their communities and impacted to the right to life.

Observing that 25% of the Cambodian people are living under poverty line, whether in rural and urban areas, using water from unprotected wells and springs and have less access to education, health, toilets of any kinds. Children, often naked and almost barefoot, abound, cheerful, despite it all. 

Most of the girls from the grass-root communities, due to poverty are coming to the cities and towns around the country to get the jobs offered by the private sector such as garment factories and other light factories. These girls and women cannot properly survive with the very low wages. In order to supplement their financial shortage, they work extra night hours for more income such as beer promoters, karaoke staff..... More or less they fall prey to sex industry.