Cambodia - The UN Migration Agency (IOM) has trained representatives from over 30 Cambodian manufacturing, hospitality and service companies to combat human trafficking and slavery in their businesses and supply chains.

The training in Phnom Penh on Monday (22/05) was part of a new regional IOM initiative – the Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking (CREST) programme – and was open to companies belonging to the Cambodian Federation of Employers and Business Associations (CAMFEBA).

The training covered practical information for reducing the risk of human trafficking and slavery in both daily operations and supply chains. It also provided guidance for complying with new Cambodian and international anti-slavery legislation that holds companies responsible for the practices of their suppliers, as well as their own workplaces.

“The private sector has a key role to play in combatting human trafficking and slavery by ensuring that they recruit workers in a fair and ethical way,” said IOM Programme Manager Kristin Dadey.

“Increasingly, ethical companies are adopting ‘the employer pays’ mode for recruitment, in which employers cover the cost of recruiting new workers. This will help to protect workers from unscrupulous labour brokers and recruitment agents,” she noted. “IOM strongly believes that ethical business practices serve the interests of both companies and workers alike.”

Trafficking for forced labour remains a challenge for Cambodia, and IOM Cambodia is working with the Government and private sector partners to develop a comprehensive approach to combatting the problem.

This includes providing direct assistance to victims on their return home, often after traumatic experiences abroad. Most of the victims assisted by IOM Cambodia last year were men trafficked into the fishing, factory and construction sectors in Southeast Asia.  

CAMFEBA is an autonomous and independent federation of employers and business associations recognized and registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour, Vocational Training and Youth Rehabilitation of Cambodia. It is committed to ensuring that its members put workers first by complying with international labour and human rights standards.

For further information, please contact Kristin Dadey at IOM Cambodia, Email: kdadey@iom.int