Dialogue between children and policymakers
On May 24th, 2024, CRC-Cambodia collaborated with Cambodia National Council for Children (CNCC) and Cambodian Children and Youth Movement for Child Rights (CCYMCR) to create a meaningful space for dialogue between children and policymakers at MoSVY under funded support from SIDA through Save the Children Cambodia and Fri. There were 200 participants (85 females), including 156 children and youth, 5 representatives from key ministries such as MoSVY, MoEYS, MoI, MPTC, and MoH, along with members from 9 CSOs members of CRC-Cambodia.
This meeting was created in order to provide the opportunity between the government’s policymakers and children to communicate face-to-face so that the challenges and concerns raised by children can be addressed and actions taken, as well as to promote the right of the child to participation, especially to ensure that the voices of the child are heard and the other rights of the child are realized. During the forum, each ministry has presented their achievements toward child right promotion.
In addition, Child and Youth Led Networks (CYLNs) also presented their concerns and recommendations related to child issues in Cambodia focusing education, online protection, health as well as SOGIE issues. Furthermore, children also have a chance to raise some questions for all those ministries as well.
As a result, the whole dialogue was led by these children and young, proving that they are very good and confident at leading the discussion. In particular their concerns and recommendations are heard and accepted by those key ministries for considering and responding in the future.
Last but not least, those ministries are committed to take those recommendations for mainstreaming into their activities and policies to improve the situation of children as well. So the forum was finished smoothly with fruitful results.
