About Us
Smiling of Cambodian rural women that we work with.
Photo: savann oeurm
Our change statement: We want to see a Cambodia with “a strong and vibrant civil society, led by empowered and dynamic people’s organisations and networks, advocating for changes in laws, policies and practices to attain justice and equality for all Cambodians.”
ActionAid has been working in Cambodia since the year 2000, and the ActionAid Cambodia country office was set up in 2004. Since then we have been working with the poorest and most excluded men, women and children in the country, making long-term commitments to advance their human rights and transform the world in which their children grow up.
ActionAid Cambodia is part of ActionAid International, a global federation of 45 members committed to finding sustainable solutions to poverty and injustice. AAI is collectively governed by all of its members, so everyone has a say on how the organisation works.
Our Vision is for “a world without poverty and injustice, in which every person enjoys their right to a life of dignity.”
Our Mission is “to work with poor and excluded people to eradicate poverty and injustice.”
Cambodia has undergone rapid economic growth in recent years but, despite the accompanying wealth creation for some, the country continues to face numerous challenges. To achieve our goals over the next six years we will need to think about:
Poverty: More than 28 per cent of Cambodians live on less than $1.25 a day, with the poorest especially vulnerable to economic shocks such as high food prices.
Disasters: Cambodia is one of the most disaster prone countries in South East Asia, facing hazards including floods, droughts and insect infestations. The most vulnerable families barely have time to recover from one disaster before the next one strikes.
Climate change: As the planet heats up Cambodia is likely to see more extreme weather events, hitting the poorest hardest. Food security: Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for most Cambodians, meaning that unsustainable fishing and farming practices, coupled with problems with access to and control over resources, leave many hungry.
Children: Almost 40 per cent of children do not finish primary school in Cambodia, while roughly the same percentage of under-5s suffer stunted growth due to malnutrition.
Women: Almost one in every 500 new Cambodian mothers die in childbirth, while women are also at particular risk of violence, sexual assault, rape, and HIV, with those who migrate from rural areas to cities especially vulnerable.