Key challenges

The floating clinic on Tonle Sap lake is a project set up by Caritas Cambodia to service the communities of several floating villages [Sean Sprague]

Despite the growth of peace and democracy in the past decade, Cambodia faces many political, social and economic problems

Domestic politics

The general election in July 2003 produced a hung parliament. Lengthy negotiations have since continued in a bid to form a government.

Poverty

The Asian Development Bank estimated in 2004 that 35 to 40 per cent of the population was living below the poverty line.

Women’s rights

Women head a quarter of Cambodia’s households – the legacy of more than two decades of war and social upheaval. More than half of them are illiterate.

HIV and AIDS

HIV infection rates in Cambodia remain the highest in Asia. Although research indicates that HIV infection rates are decreasing, the number of people dying from AIDS has increased.

This has left many thousands of orphans and a huge social problem for the country.

In response to challenges, CAFOD supports organisations that focus their work on HIV and AIDS, and on the poor in rural areas.

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