THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent Issue Number 3624 / 4000 RIEL MINISTRY ADDING MANGO EXPORTS CHINA, RUSSIA SET FINISHING TOUCHES EDGE CLOSER TO TO BUILD LUNAR TO COVID-19 LAW CHINESE MARKET RESEARCH STATION NATIONAL – pagE 2 BUSINESS – pagE 6 WORLD – pagE 10 Study: 10M Coronavirus vaccination more child marriages drive notches up 188,000 due to Covid Mom Kunthear THE outsized impact Covid-19 has had on women in some countries S OF March 9, more could result in an additional 10 mil- than 188,000 people lion child marriages in this decade, in Cambodia had according to a new analysis released been vaccinated earlier this week by UNICEF. withA the Sinopharm vaccines “School closures, economic stress, donated by China and with service disruptions, pregnancy and AstraZeneca’s Covishield vac- parental deaths due to the pandemic cines provided through the are putting the most vulnerable girls COVAX initiative. at increased risk of child marriage,” Administered by the min- said a study titled Covid-19: A threat istries of Health and Na- to progress against child marriage. tional Defence, the number That trend, if confirmed, would includes civilians and mem- represent a serious retreat from bers of the armed forces. recent years of progress against The health ministry said child marriage. from February 10 to March In the last 10 years, according to the 9, a total of 84,544 people study, the proportion of young wom- have voluntarily received en globally who were married as chil- their first shot of the Sinop- dren had declined by 15 per cent, from harm vaccine and another nearly one in four to one in five. 4,962 have received their That progress “is now under first dose of Covishield. threat”, said the study, released on A total of 3,280 people International Women’s Day. came to get their second UNICEF executive director Hen- shot of Sinopharm, while the rietta Fore said: “Covid-19 has number of people receiving made an already difficult situation a second Covishield dose has for millions of girls even worse. not been reported as yet. “Shuttered schools, isolation “If we add up the number from friends and support net- of people who have come to works, and rising poverty have get their vaccination, then added fuel to a fire the world was the total figure is 103,553 already struggling to put out.” with another 14,047 who Girls who marry in childhood, the weren’t eligible for vacci- A woman is inoculated with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at Preah Ang Duong Hospital in Phnom Penh on Wednesday. HONG MENEA study said, are more likely to expe- nation due to a pre-exist- rience domestic violence and less ing health condition,” the received their second shots. The roll out will begin with in-India vaccine licensed designated hospitals in the likely to remain in school. They face health ministry said. Health minister Mam Bun Phnom Penh and the prov- by AstraZeneca have to get capital – with the exception an increased risk of early and The defence ministry said Heng announced on March inces of Kandal and Preah their second shot within of the National Paediatric unplanned pregnancy, and mater- 98,520 of its personnel had 6 that Covishield would be Sihanouk, which are the four to eight weeks after the Hospital where it has been nal complications and mortality. received their first doses of provided to government of- current Covid-19 hotspots. first shot,” Bun Heng said. postponed as available doses Isolation from family and friends Sinopharm in the same pe- ficials and those aged 60 or “Those who have received Vaccination with Sinop- can take “a heavy toll on their men- riod while 30,366 had already older from March 10. their first shot of the made- harm continues as usual at CONTINUED – pagE 3 tal health”. Meanwhile, pandemic-related travel restrictions and physical dis- tancing have made it harder for girls “to access the health care, social serv- ices and community support that Kingdom stands ready to assist Myanmar protect them from child marriage, unwanted pregnancy and gender- Niem Chheng International Cooperation on March 9. ASEAN member states to assist Myan- in accordance with the will and inter- based violence”, while making it more “As a friend and a member of the mar on her path to normalcy in any ests of the people of Myanmar. The likely that they drop out of school. CAMBODIA regrets the escalation of ASEAN Community, Cambodia . is role and in any format that are in line second statement called on all parties In addition, families facing eco- violence in Myanmar and is closely saddened by the ongoing escalation of with ASEAN principles and that are to refrain from instigating further vio- nomic hardship may seek to mar- monitoring the situation while stand- violence that has caused loss of lives. agreeable to all,” said the statement. lence and for all sides to exercise ry off their daughters to ease finan- ing ready to join other ASEAN mem- “While respecting the core princi- The ministry’s press release followed utmost restraint as well as flexibility. cial burdens. ber states in helping the country ple of non-interference into internal two separate statements issued by the At least 54 people have been killed The report estimates that 650 return to normalcy. affairs of member states, Cambodia ASEAN Chair on February 1 and March 2. and over 1,700 others, including chil- million girls and women alive today The Kingdom’s stance was reaf- . supports a peaceful solution to the The February 1 statement encour- dren, have been detained by the were married in childhood, about firmed in a press statement issued by current crisis in Myanmar. aged the pursuance of dialogue, rec- half of them in Bangladesh, Brazil, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and “Cambodia . is ready to join other onciliation and the return to normalcy CONTINUED – pagE 2 Ethiopia, India or Nigeria. AFP THE PHNOM PENH POST Live chicken prices tumble National after outbreak of Covid-19 Inside page 3 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST march 11, 2021 WWW.phnompenhpost.COM National Pressure builds at border market to resume trade Long Kimmarita urged the two parties to ex- to them,” he said. amine the possibility of re- Puthy has observed that BANTEAY Meanchey provin- opening border checkpoints since the closure of the Thai cial governor Um Reatrey on and enable vendors to get border, Cambodian workers, March 9 led a delegation to back to business as usual. This vendors and residents living open a dialogue with their appeal was initiated because along the border encounter Thai counterparts to find a since authorities announced financial difficulties resulting solution for Cambodian ven- the closure of the Thai border from loss of jobs, businesses, dors at the Rong Kluea Market nearly a year ago, Cambodian and income. as mounting pressure builds vendors were unable to sell While for those who make for a reopening of the border their products while goods daring attempts to cross the from business observers and from Thailand still found its border into Thailand, they watch groups. way into Cambodia. have to spend double the In a Facebook post on March “We have noticed that since amount of money and put 9, Reatrey said: “I led a provin- the closure of the market dur- themselves at risk. cial delegation to meet with ing the past year, Cambodian Since announcing the clo- Thai officials to find a solution workers and vendors have sure of its border in March last Justice minister Koeut Rith. JUSTICE MINISTRY for Cambodian vendors affect- been prevented from plying year, both Cambodian and ed by the pandemic at the Rong their trade across the border. Thai border authorities, after Kluea Market with Sa Kaeo “There is inequality over bilateral negotiation efforts, provincial governor Woraphan movement of goods and peo- have mutually agreed to re- Suwanun at the Thai custom ple with our Poipet interna- sume bilateral trade activities Sub-decree for Covid headquarters within the Kh- tional checkpoint still opened along the border at several long Loek-Poipet international to Thai nationals. If the Thai controlled border checkpoints checkpoints.” authorities refuses to reopen implementing tight health The meeting he said, was set their border, why don’t we re- and safety measure to prevent control law finalised up to discuss issues pertaining spond by closing our border the spread of Covid-19. to the pandemic. In the past, Niem Chheng manner and nature of certain gal basis to effectively control the two provinces had worked public health related offenses the Covid-19 situation and [in hard to facilitate border cross- HE Ministry of Jus- and also the penalties imposed the event of] any other seri- ings of Cambodian traders to tice is in the process or fines to be paid by Covid-19 ously dangerous and conta- sell their products at the mar- of finalising a sub- health measures violators. gious diseases in Cambodia,” ket while observing preventive decree on health Ministry spokesman Chin the justice ministry said. measure against Covid-19. Tmeasures to prevent the Malin said the sub-decree is Also added to the sub-de- Although the meeting con- spread of Covid-19 and other a necessary complement to cree now are measures con- cluded positively, he added, contagious disease, which the bill. cerning bodies of deceased a solution has yet to be fi- will be used in conjunction “The draft law only talks Covid-19 patients. nalised to reopen the Rong with a new pandemic control about general measures and In his recorded instruction Kluea Market as both parties law that the Senate is set to principles.