Cambodia

Cambodia’s porous borders, poverty and geographic location render the country a major point of origin, transit and destination for irregular migrants. With the increasing number of irregular migration in Cambodia, policies and operational and administrative capacities must be put in place to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration. While migration management must be strengthened, responses to other factors that contribute to and are affected by migration must also be provided.

Counter Trafficking

Trafficking in persons remains an increasing concern in the country and surrounding region. As Cambodians continue to migrate abroad through irregular channels, risks to human trafficking and labour exploitation increase. Recent trends have shown that more and more Cambodian women are being subject to forced marriage abroad, Cambodian men are being abused, exploited and stranded in the regional fishing industry, and the overall incidence of forced labour trafficking situations also increased. With the support of the international community including IOM, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has built a comprehensive legal and institutional framework to address trafficking in persons (TIP). However, much remains to be done to foster the effective enforcement of the provisions adopted. Cross-border cooperation with neighbouring countries, notably with Thailand and Vietnam, has also been indicated as a key area in need of improvement for prevention, protection, return of victims, and prosecution of perpetrators. While regional partnership and formal agreements have been developed, implementation of such agreements remains challenging on both sides of the border. Watch video: Trafficked to Sea: IOM Cambodia's Repatriation Programme

In response, IOM through the National Committee to Counter Trafficking (NCCT), including other important line ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC ) and relevant consulates is involved in the voluntary repatriation of victims, the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY), strengthens survivor protection and services for all forms of TIP through enhanced victim identification and demand-driven delivery of services and reintegration options in provinces along the Thailand-Cambodia border. Learn more: Migrant Assistance and Protection in Cambodia

Additionally, IOM also provides direct assistance to trafficking survivors upon return to Cambodia, including medical aid, food supplies and temporary accommodation. The provision of direct assistance is complemented by building the capacity of the RGC and NGO service providers on gender-sensitive victim identification, psychosocial support and case management. Learn more: Health and Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Subregion

Projects

• Strengthening survivor and protection services
• Asia Regional Migration Program (RMP)

Donors

• USA - Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
• USA - Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration

Immigration and Border Governance

In the area of technical cooperation, IOM provides support to strengthen the institutional capacity for effective migration management in Cambodia. In particular, IOM concentrates on enhancing national administrative and operational capacities to combat irregular migration, human smuggling and transnational organized crime (TOC). IOM promotes cross-border and interagency cooperation in the region, with a particular focus on information exchange, building operational and administrative systems related to border management and law enforcement.

IOM provides capacity building training to frontline border control officers, who deal with millions of travelers and migrants to effectively detect and respond to cases of human smuggling including travel document examination.

Projects

• Mekong Region: Responding to Cross Border Mobility Challenges at Points of Entry Phase II
• Supporting Evidence-based Policies and Programmes in the Context of Cross-border Mobility in Cambodia and Viet Nam

Donor

• Department of Home Affairs, Australian Government
• IOM Development Fund

Labour Migration

In the area of labour migration, IOM focuses on building Cambodia’s administrative and operational capacity, particularly in improving the effectiveness of regular migration procedures and the protection of migrant workers. IOM also aims to increase regular labour migration options, ensure safe and ethical recruitment, reduce poverty through skills development and protect and respect the rights of migrant workers in global supply chains.

IOM aims to support the Royal Government of Cambodia to enhance management of outward labour migration flows to neighboring countries with an emphasis on reducing the instances of abuse through the effective implementation of ministerial regulations; facilitating prospective and returned migrants’ access to updated and reliable information; and improving migrants’ access to recourse and compensation mechanisms. IOM also works with private sector to build commitments to end exploitation of migrant workers, implement human rights standards that address migrant workers’ vulnerabilities, and promote collaboration across sectors and between all stakeholders for sustainable positive change.

Projects

• Poverty Reduction Through Safe Migration, Skills Development and Enhanced Job Placement in Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar and Thailand (PROMISE Phase II)
• Migration, Business and Human Rights in Asia: Promoting Corporate Responsibility and Migrant Worker’s Rights in Global Supply Chains (MBHR)

Donors

• Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
• European Union Delegation to Cambodia International Partnerships (DG INTPA), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)

Migration Health

Health Promotion and Assistance for Migrants.  IOM is committed to enhancing the capacity of the Cambodian government to understand and appropriately meet the health needs of vulnerable migrants and mobile populations, with a particular focus on cross-border migration and communicable disease control. Along the Cambodian borders with Thailand and Vietnam, IOM aims to enhance the capacity of the government and local partners to respond to the health needs of vulnerable migrants and mobile populations. The ongoing TB REACH initiative to increase early detection and treatment of TB among irregular migrants returning from Thailand is an important first step in the development of migrant-sensitive health services in the border provinces and is key to mainstreaming active case finding among high-risk groups within the National TB program.   Learn more: Increasing Active TB Case Detection for Returned Irregular Migrants at Poi Pet Border  |  Watch video: Cambodia: Detecting, Treating TB in Vulnerable Migrants

Projects

• TEAM 2 – Tuberculosis Elimination Among Migrants in the GMS Phase II

Donors

• The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Migration Health Assessment and Travel Health Assistance Programme. IOM Migration Health Services provide medical evaluations for, and documentation of prospective migrants and refugees being resettled in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The programme investigates, diagnoses and screens migrants for any infectious and chronic or acute diseases, making appropriate referrals as needed. Since Cambodia has a high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB), particular attention is placed on identifying this condition during health assessments.

Project

• Migrant Health Assessment and Travel Health Assistance Program