19,000 Cambodian Street Children Receive No EducationThe Cambodian National Council for Children (CNCC) has issued a report indicating that as many as 19,029 street children, mainly in Phnom Penh, have received no formal education, the Rasmei Kampuchea Daily reported Friday.The report said that most children are seen commonly work as scavengers, accounting for 46 percent of the street children, and beggars accounting for 18 percent. Approximately 9 percent of female street kids and 5 percent of male ones are involved in prostitution, the local newspaper in Khmer quoted CNCC as saying. All of them are easily lured into the gang committing crimes, such as pickpocket and stealing activities in order to survive. They are also very exposed to drug addiction and prostitute themselves for income or shelters, it reported. However, amid the great number of street children are badly treated, some 974 street children have been sheltered and provided with vocational training in 2000, according to a report of the Ministry of Social Affairs. Besides education, the health of the children is also greatly concerned about by the Cambodian government as well as international community, especially the World Health Organization. |
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