More than half of Cambodian children are severely beaten. Monks are helping to change that
The Venerable Lach Leang is teaching parents and grandparents about the Buddhist dharma of non-violence.
Not far from the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat, a group of saffron-robed monks have been learning some modern lessons.
Gathered around a table inside a pagoda, they're reading about the shocking statistics that Cambodian kids face.
One in two have been severely beaten, one in four emotionally abused and one in 20 sexually assaulted.
It's hoped the monks gathered in this pagoda and hundreds more like them could help change that.
They're part of the Pagoda Program, jointly developed by UNICEF and the Ministry of Cults and Religions.
The Pagoda Program is set to be expanded in Cambodia's north-east, where child marriage and teen pregnancy remain prevalent.
UNICEF's Will Parks said monks held a special status in this heavily Buddhist country.
"The credibility that monks bring to the local communities is really powerful," he told the ABC.
"So when monks talk about protecting children from violence, it spreads the word across some of the remotest parts of the country through very credible sources.
"The Pagoda Program has been running for several years, and we've found it to be very effective for community mobilisation, getting people to really understand what they can do to protect children in the homes."
In this heavily Buddhist country, monks hold a special place and responsibility in society.
Thousands of lives changed
The Venerable Lach Leang is one of the monks hosting today's training.
"In Cambodia, the majority of Khmer people [trust] Buddhist monks so we have a role in education in following the Buddhist path of non-violence," he said.
He said he had already seen a change in the communities in which he worked.
"When people get angry with their children or grandchildren, they used to hit them physically or curse them verbally, but now we are teaching them the dharma about non-violence," he said.
Father of three Meas Nguon is one of the participants to have benefited from the monks' efforts.
Meas Nguon has three young boys, including a novice monk, and says he understands how important it is to protect them from violence.
He said a lot had changed since he was a child, when parents regularly beat their children.
He said the Pagoda Program has helped parents like him to understand the impacts of violence and abuse.
"Children who suffer from violence become frightened, they don't perform well at school, they are panicked and not confident," he said.
Fellow participant and mother-of-two Ath agreed.
"My participation today helps me a lot. I will apply it to my family and society and will improve further," she said.
Ath says she will apply what she's learned from the monks at home.
"In the future, I want my two children to live with dignity and be good people in society, and I don't want them to experience violence now or in the future."
Ath and Meas Nguon are among the 8,000 people who have taken part in the program, thanks to the 1,500 monks who have been trained.
UNICEF's Marianna Garofalo said the charity was looking to expand the program to more provinces.
"Especially in the north-east part of the country, in provinces like Ratanakiri, where in addition to the issue of corporal punishment and physical violence, issues like child marriage or teenage pregnancy are also very prevalent," she said.
Cambodia is on the brink of passing its first child protection legislation, which could ban corporal punishment.
'Groundbreaking' child protection legislation
Advocates are hoping Cambodia is on its way to turning around the violence and abuse long faced by children there.
The country is on the brink of passing its first child protection legislation, which, among other things, could ban corporal punishment.
Ms Garofalo said that would make Cambodia the second country in the region, after Laos, to do so.
UNICEF's Marianna Garofalo says Cambodians listen to monks "so if a change is meant to happen, it is very likely that it's initiated by people like monks".
"The law also looks at criminalising or prohibiting child marriage for children below 18 years," she told the ABC.
"There are exceptions by the Cambodian law, under which children can actually be married before the age of 18.
"The law is important because it makes a clear stand that violence should be abandoned. It brings about the legal framework that is needed for the cultural change also to happen."
Khiev Bory from the Ministry of Social Affairs said the legislation was a long time in the making.
"In order to improve the lives of our children, we have to make this law to protect their four rights: the right to survival, protection, development and participation," she said.
"We also want the parents or caregivers to understand the law so they can protect children from having their rights violated."
She would not be drawn on how soon the law could come into effect, but advocates hope it will be signed off by the end of the year.
Mr Parks from UNICEF said it would be a big step forward.
Cambodia could become the first country in Asia to have such a comprehensive law to protect children from all forms of violence.
"It's a world-class piece of legislation that we're hoping will be passed very soon by the Council of Ministers," he said.
He said while there had been much progress in Cambodia, there was a risk children could be left behind.
"Cambodia is on a fast track to really become middle-income by 2030, and high-income by 2050, so those are really big economic aspirations," Mr Parks said.
"And our concern and our support to the government is always making sure they keep their eyes on children, keep their eyes on vulnerable populations, so as the economy rises those who are most vulnerable are brought along with the country's gains and development."
By：https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-16/monks-leading-the-way-on-child-protection-in-cambodia/104371730(责任编辑：admin)
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