FACT SHEET Child Rights Situation Analysis Four operational districts province September 2017 FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis Four districts, Four districts, Battambang province

ChildFund is the representative office of ChildFund Australia – an independent and non-religious international development organisation that works to reduce poverty for children in developing communities.

ChildFund Australia is a member of the ChildFund Alliance – a global network of 11 organisations which assists more than 14 million children and their families in over 60 countries. ChildFund Australia is a registered charity, a member of the Australian Council for International Development, and fully accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which manages the Australian Government’s overseas aid program.

ChildFund began working in Cambodia in 2007, and works in partnership with children, their communities and local institutions to create lasting change, respond to humanitarian emergencies and promote children’s rights. Projects are implemented in the rural provinces of Svay Rieng, Kratie, Battambang, as well as urban , focused on Glossary improving living standards for excluded or marginalised communities.

With a focus on child protection and resilience, quality education, sustainable livelihoods, improved local governance, child nutrition, water and sanitation, and youth empowerment, ChildFund Cambodia is also working to improve early grade reading performance through technology interventions, and strengthen national community- CC : Commune Council based child protection mechanisms. ChildFund Cambodia implements its programs in collaboration with local civil society organisations, and in partnership with the relevant CCWC : Commune Council for Women and Children ministries and government departments. CRSA : Child Rights Situation Analysis DCWC : District Council for Women and Children DEV : Deprivation, exclusion and vulnerability DOE : District Office of Education ChildFund Cambodia FGD : Focus Group Discussion Street address: #14, Street 240, Sangkat Chaktomuk, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia INEE : International Network for Education in Emergencies Mailing address: P. O. Box 93, Phnom Penh MoEYS: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Phone: +855 (0) 23 997 113 Email: [email protected] NGO : Non-Government Organization SD : School Director SRC : Student Representative Council Author: Sona Chhun SSC : School Support Committee Designer: Pisey Khun Photography: ChildFund staff VDC : Village Development Committee Print: August 2018

2 3 FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis Four districts, Battambang province Four districts, Battambang province

Introduction Data Gathering Methodologies

The Child Rights Situation Analysis in Four Operational Districts in Battambang Province investigated the status of Using semi-structured interviews with individuals and small groups of government, school-based, community and children’s rights within the Battambang Central, Sangkae, Rukha Kiri and districts of Battambang province, NGO stakeholders, as well as focus group discussions with primary and secondary school students, data was Cambodia to support the development of ChildFund – Educo child rights programs/projects over the next 3-5 years. gathered by a group of 5 researchers over a period of 5 days from the 121 respondents identified by ChildFund – The investigation was undertaken utilizing the DEV (Deprivation, Exclusion and Vulnerability) poverty framework and Educo using prepared data gathering instruments. ChildFund’s four investigative pillars (Access to assets, Protection, Voice & Agency and Power / Participation) as the analytical framework. The Child Rights Situation Analysis was a broad analysis of the factors that are influencing the rights of children, particularly those who are living in poverty, to the assets, protection and resilience required for the achievement of quality educational outcomes.

4 5 FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis Four districts, Battambang province Four districts, Battambang province

• children generally understood their rights, with some confidently engaging with the interview team, although most lacked the ability to fully participate in the discussions.

• limited evidence existed that government authorities, or communities generally, ensured that children’s rights were being manifested in the practical sense.

• limited, if any, community input into the school curriculum or extra curricula activities existed.

• children whose learning styles and preferences did not match the academic requirements of the curriculum, or who needed more time to learn, were excluded from full participation in the educa- tional process.

• the existing school curriculum provided only limited opportunity for adaption to the needs of spe- cific communities and did not encourage community participation in its development. Finding and Recommendations • large class sizes made the provision of individual student support difficult. • access to senior high school was significantly limited for many secondary students due to the distance required to travel or the absence of on-site accommodation.

• the impact of SSCs was limited in promoting educational change.

• the lack of a comprehensive education system for all children rendered those who do not have an informed and supportive family at greater risk of school failure, unemployment and the various forms of abuse and exploitation. Findings relating to access to assets are discussed within this report in terms of child health, family transience, the student’s learning environment, teacher quality, school attendance and infrastructure & proximity to services. • there was no evidence of any drug education policy or drug education program for students. Findings relating to protection are discussed in terms of student safety, risk factors, existence of child protection training, existence of child protection policy and the impact of natural disasters. Findings relating voice and • there was limited understanding of child protection among children, teachers, DOE officials and power - that is children’s participation in decision making and engagement in framing their own futures - are parents. discussed in terms of the role of student / children’s councils, student participation in decision making, the nature of student / teacher communication and student ideas for school improvement. • children of migratory parents were at higher risk of accidents during transit, abuse and trafficking but there were no apparent measures in place to minimize risk to these children.

Overall it was found that: • the level of professional support for SDs, teachers, DCWC and CCWC was very low.

• child rights achievements across the four districts included the willingness of public schools to • there was no evidence to confirm that the INEE minimum standards for education – equal access, accept children from all ethnic, cultural and religious groups, the emerging status of teacher protection and wellbeing, and facilities & services - were being consistently achieved across the education, the development of collaborative partnerships among government and non-govern- four districts and there was no apparent shared concept of “quality education” as defined in this ment stakeholders, the provision of some child rights training, the appointment of DCWC and report. CCWC officers, the establishment of Children’s Councils in primary and secondary schools and the formation of SSCs to promote parent engagement in school education.

• areas of deprivation included children’s lack knowledge and learning opportunities, inadequate health care education, personal travel security and access to schooling by migratory children.

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Recommendations In terms protection is recommended that: 7. all school personnel including SDs, teachers, SSCs and Children’s Councils be provided with comprehensive child protection training through an NGO / DoE initiative with an emphasis on Altogether 15 recommendations emerged from the study. In terms of access to assets it is recommended that protective behaviours and skills, as well as a review of potential risk situations to children that ChildFund – Educo: exist within the community.

1. facilitate a series of forums in a central location that bring groups a similar stakeholders together 8. the practice of engaging students to visit the homes of students who are experiencing attendance from the four target districts, and other districts as appropriate, in order to share common problems be reviewed for its implications for student safety. concerns, establish professional relationships and undertake training on key aspects of the Child Friendly School Philosophy, and international models that may have implications for their schools 9. the emerging interagency approach to child rights and child protection be continued and and communities. This training could commence with School Directors who, while in need of strengthened so that all partners – school personnel, parents, DWCC/CWCC, DoE officials and significant training in child protection for example, also have experience and knowledge that could NGOs have an agreed, documented and shared process for building student knowledge and skills be shared across the target districts. as well as responding to incidents of child abuse and neglect. School Directors could take a leadership role in coordinating such interagency interventions. 2. review access to provincial senior high schools for students in targeted districts in terms of equal access for all students who have demonstrated the ability to complete secondary education to 10. a proactive approach to child protection, rather than a reactive one, be encouraged within schools Grade 12. This could require the serious consideration of the establishment of quality accommo in order to minimize the likelihood of potential child abuse or neglect issues. This may require dation with adequate supervision located in close proximity the school premises. Currently, specific training in child protection and a change in the existing mind-set of those having talented students living at a distance from provincial senior high schools are at a significant responsibilities in student welfare and child protection. disadvantage over which they have limited control. 11. relatives who have accepted responsibility for the children of migratory parents (e.g. aunts or 3. provide, or extend the provision of, scholarships to support junior secondary school attendance grandparents) be provided with specific training regarding the importance of school attendance, for students whose parent’s or primary carer’s capacity for economic security has been child protection and ways that they can work with the school in promoting student attendance, significantly jeopardised because of disability, crop failure or other significant situation. Such learning and wellbeing. scholarships should be sufficient to cover tuition, accommodation and travel expenses for the duration of the secondary school experience. 12. Child Rights education and the Child Protection Policy of MoEYS be included in pre-service training within the curriculum of the Battambang Teacher Training College to ensure that 4. consider establishing further annexes to existing primary schools to reduce the need for extensive pre-service teacher trainees have the capacity and competency to confidently teach Child Rights travel for primary children to school, especially those whose travel is difficult or unsafe during the and Child Protection within the schools to which they are appointed. rainy season. This could be a precursor to the establishment of permanent schools if student numbers and community needs support such establishment. In terms of voice, agency and power it is recommended that:

5. further explore the potential of technical & vocational education as an option for on-going 13. successful and innovative primary Children’s Councils be identified where students are actively learning for young people. This could include those returning from interprovincial or international involved in decision making on school policy issues in collaboration with the SD, teachers and work or for whom secondary education is not an option. Such a vocational option could include SSC and that these successful models be circulated to all primary school within the four targeted skills recognition processes, on-the-job learning, short term courses in partnership with districts. Cambodian or international employers. Such initiatives could increase the employability potential of those returning from such interprovincial or international work. 14. all secondary schools be encouraged to establish Student Representative Councils (SRC) and that these councils have a clear communication channel with Commune Councils in order to 6. liaise with local universities in Battambang, such as Dewey International University, to provide promote educational and social issues within the community. This could include student opportunities for Grade 11-12 students to undertake an intensive short term course, or courses, representation at Commune Council and Village Development Committee meetings. in computer literacy in order to extend any such technology training that they may receive within their school. 15. School Directors in collaboration with DOEs and NGOs create opportunities for secondary student council members, at least twice per year, to interact with their peers from other schools and districts for the development of leadership skills – with a focus on, but not limited to, the skills of team leadership, public speaking, critical thinking, debating and advocacy.

8 9 FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis Four districts, Battambang province Four districts, Battambang province

ChildFund Action According to Recommendations

We the Senior Management Team of ChildFund Cambodia, recognize the importance of the CRSA conduct in Battambang province in 2017, We would like to thank all local authorities, community leaders, women, youth, children, and representatives of civil society who participated in the process of identifying CRSA.

As well, it is important to take action from the recommendations for program team of Childfund – Educo working in Battambang province, Cambodia gladly to the considered view of recommendations will further fuel our commit- ment to respond to the changing needs of children and young. ChildFund will improve quality of education project at Battambang Central, Sangkae, Rukha Kiri, and , to roll out some part of Easy2learn project model and continue the project community pre-school by working through partners. In future, if ChildFUnd has funding.

10 11 FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis Four districts, Battambang province Four districts, Battambang province

Summary CRSA Report Battambang Vs. Outcome Indicators

THEME: ACCESS TO ASSETS FINDING Core Indicators (CR) Battambang Central Sangkae Rukha Kiri Samlout

CR1 % of women 15-49 years with children aged 0-59 months who delivered their last child No Data while being assisted by skilled and trained personnel

CR2 % of booys and girls who have completed primary education No Data In PNG, the relevant age range is 15-18 years.

CR3 % of children and youth who perform at or above their current grade level in reading No Data

CR4 % of boys and girls 0-59 months who are below minus two standard deviations from No Data median weight for age of reference population

CR5 % of households (with children aged 0-59 months) with year-round access to an No Data improved, affordable water source

CR6 % of households (with children aged 0-59 months) with year-round access to basic No Data sanitation

CR7 % of women of child bearing age who report a significant increase in household income No Data over the past three years which was spent on family needs

CR8 % of youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) No Data

Complementary indicators

CMP1 % of women 15-49 years with children aged 0-59 months who delivered their last child No Data while being assisted by skilled and trained personnel (broadly defined)

CMP2 % of 12-16-year-old [?] boys and girls who have completed basic education No Data In PNG, the relevant age range is 15-18 years [?]. New country-specific indicator to be developed based on national government classification of basic education.

12 13 FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis FACT SHEET: CR Situation Analysis Four districts, Battambang province Four districts, Battambang province

THEME: ACCESS TO ASSETS FINDING CMP3 % of children and youth who perform at or above their current grade level in reading No Data comprehension Country-specific tools for testing will be used.

CMP4 % of boys and girls 0-59 months who are below minus two standard deviations from No Data median height for age of reference population

CMP5 % of youth using a computer or a mobile phone to access information No Data

THEME: VOICE AND AGENCY FINDING Core Indicators (CR) Battambang Central Sangkae Rukha Kiri Samlout CR9 % of children aged 0-5 years whose mother/caregiver can produce a birth registration No Data certificate

CR10 % of children and youth who report having opportunities to voice their opinions in No Data decisions that concern them

CR11 % of children and youth who participate in youth groups, clubs or other social or No Data community organisations

CR12 % of children and youth with medium to high levels of resilience No Data

CR13 % of youth with a positive view of their present life situation and a positive view of the No Data next five years

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THEME: PROTECTION FINDING Core Indicators (CR) Battambang Central Sangkae Rukha Kiri Samlout CR14 % of women of child bearing age and youth who can identify and articulate at least three No Data ways of preventing HIV infection

CR15 % of women of child bearing age and youth, and number of local authorities, aware of No Data potential risks and disasters and can say what to do in response

CR16 % of women of child bearing age, youth and children, and number of local authorities No Data interviewed, able to give examples of child abuse and can say what to do in response

CR17 % of women of child bearing age, children and youth who feel safe in their daily life No Data

THEME: POWER FINDING Core Indicators (CR) Battambang Central Sangkae Rukha Kiri Samlout CR18 % of women of child bearing age and youth that have successfully advocated or lobbied No Data on behalf of a group

Complementary indicators

CMP6 Number of local community-level organisations and groups that have advocated or No Data lobbied duty-bearers for changes to service provision or the realisation of child rights

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