Facts and Figures

IOM Member State since 2002 Capital: Phnom Penh Population (2011): 14.3 million Area: 181,035 sq km Languages: Khmer, French Currency: Riel (KHR) GDP per Capita PPP (2010): USD 2,194 HDI Rank (2011): 139 of 187 Remittances (2011 estimate): USD 407 million Net Migration Rate (2010-2015): -0.1 migrants /1,000 population Immigrants (2010): 2.2% Women as a Percentage of Immigrants (2010): 51.7% Population under 15 (2011): 31.2% Adult HIV Prevalence (2009): 0.5%

Sources and Definitions

Latest News

• UN Funds IOM Cambodia Flood Relief
• IOM, Cambodia Host Counter Smuggling Workshop
• IOM, Cambodian Ministry of Health, Strengthen Migrant Health Services in Border Areas
• IOM Publishes Study on Impact of Remittances
• New Disaster Management Project launched in North-East Cambodia

Overview

Cambodia's porous borders, under-developed infrastructure, poverty, geographic location and legacy of prolonged civil war render the country a major point of origin, destination and transit for irregular migrants. An increasing number of Cambodian irregular migrants are apprehended in neighbouring countries. Government operational and administrative capacity needs to be enhanced in the area of migration management. Responses include cross-border technical cooperation, capacity building with regard to bilateral and regional border checkpoints, preventing migration-related crime, awareness-raising on the risks of irregular migration and improving labour migration management.

Trafficking in persons remains an increasing concern in the country and surrounding region. In order to combat trafficking, the capacity of Cambodia's relevant authorities is being strengthened to promote awareness-raising on the dangers of trafficking, to prosecute traffickers and to protect the rights and welfare of victims of trafficking.

Movement, Emergency and Post-Conflict Migration Management

IOM offers assistance for the resettlement of refugees and migrants. A range of services are provided including health screenings, pre-departure medical check-ups and transportation arrangements.

Main Projects

• Resettlement of Montagnard Refugees to the USA
• Resettlement of Montagnard Refugees to Canada
• Cambodian Migrants (self-funded)

Migration Health

IOM is committed to enhancing the capacity of the Cambodian government to understand and appropriately meet the health needs of migrants and mobile populations, with a particular focus on cross-border migration and communicable disease control.

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, particular attention is placed on identifying this condition during health assessments.

Along the Cambodian borders with Thailand and Vietnam, IOM aims to enhance the capacity of the government and partners to respond to the health needs of migrants and mobile populations. A current initiative to strengthen migrant health services in border provinces is working towards the further mainstreaming of migrant health programming within the Ministry of Health.

Main Projects

• Migration and Travel Health Assessment (1994 - Ongoing)
• Strengthening Migrant Health Structures and Services in Selected Border Provinces in Cambodia
• Cross-border Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Capacity Building for Migrants, Host Communities and Border Control Agencies
• Strengthening Safe Migration and HIV/AIDS Education and Life Skills among Outbound Migrant Workers and their Families

Regulating Migration

In the area of trafficking, IOM's programmatic response focuses on strengthening the government's capacity to prevent trafficking and reinforce the structures required for the protection of and assistance to victims of trafficking.

In the area of technical cooperation, IOM is providing support in the consolidation of Cambodia's institutional capacity for effective migration management. In particular, IOM is concentrating on enhancing national administrative and operational capacities to combat terrorism and related cross-border crime. Cross-border cooperation is being promoted in the region, with particular reference to information exchange, building operational and administrative systems and related actions in the migration sector.

Main Projects

• Integrated Border Assistance for Sexually Abused Migrant Minors in Cambodia
• Greater Mekong Sub-region and Malaysia: Addressing the Risks of Vulnerable Migrants
• Trafficking of Men in the Fishing Industry and Other High Risk Employment Sectors in Selected Countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region
• Facilitating Implementation of the Cambodia-Vietnam Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Identification and Repatriation of Victims of Trafficking

Facilitating Migration

In the area of labour migration, IOM is focusing on building Cambodia's administrative and operational capacity, particularly for preventing irregular labour migration and protecting migrant workers. IOM also aims to increase regular labour migration options, provide assistance in securing opportunities for Cambodia's skilled and semi-skilled migrants and to raise awareness on safe labour migration through targeted information campaigns.

Main Projects

• Safe Labour Migration Awareness Campaign for Potential Migrant Workers and Communities in Cambodia and Lao PDR
• Strengthening Safe Migration and HIV/AIDS Education and Life Skills among Outbound Migrant Workers and their Families

Migration, Climate Change and Environmental Degradation

IOM's 2009 hazard assessments in Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri provinces revealed a large percentage of local communities are at high risk to flooding (65 to 69 per cent), drought (73 per cent) and insect infestations. Environmental degradation, deforestation and climate change present additional challenges, particularly given the area's climate variability throughout the year.

IOM's recently concluded project, "Building Resilience to Natural Hazards in North-East Cambodia" aimed to decrease the vulnerability of Cambodia's north-eastern communities by enabling them to better prepare for, mitigate and respond to natural disasters. The project sought to increase the preparation and response capacities of communities for disaster management at the provincial, district and commune levels and will support community-based disaster risk management initiatives through Cambodian Village Disaster Management Teams.

Community resilience was enhanced through capacity-building activities and the mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiatives into local development planning processes. The project has two major components: 1) Capacity building and partnerships for DRR in Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri; and 2) Broadening of vulnerability mapping to natural hazards in Stung Treng.

The project was implemented in close cooperation with the Cambodian National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM).

Projects

• Building Resilience to Natural Hazards in North-East Cambodia

Last updated:
Main text: February 2011
Facts and figures: May 2012