Gov’t shuts down orphanages over abuses

[geovalin]

Kong Meta and Erin Handley

The government has closed down several orphanages for violating children’s rights in the past year, with almost 200 children removed from centres rife with rape, physical abuse, trafficking or inadequate food, according to a state report released yesterday. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation’s 2015 annual report also revealed details of the government’s ongoing round-ups of thousands of the homeless.

According to the report, 190 children were transferred from seven orphanages that failed to live up to minimum standards of care and management. A further 275 children were moved into family or community care – the first small step in the government’s stated mission to reduce the 11,017 children in orphanages by 30 per cent by 2018.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/govt-shuts-down-orphanages-over-abuses