Gov’t must help homeless: UN

The United Nations yesterday called on the government to do more to protect its homeless after years of so-called street sweeps and a lack of social care have left destitute Cambodians vulnerable to health risks and violence.

“Cambodia is growing fast economically, and the signs of rapid urban development are all around us, which adds to the complexity of the issues faced by persons in street situations, and for the authorities whose responsibility it is to address them,” Claire Van der Vaeren, UN resident coordinator for Cambodia, told a conference at the capital’s Himawari Hotel yesterday.

In a statement prior to the event, she said the UN would continue to fund projects to reduce homelessness. “Development should be for everyone. Often among the most vulnerable and easiest to overlook are persons who live, work, or otherwise depend on the streets,” she said.

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