Experts of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Commend Cambodia’s Progress in Child Education, Ask about Access to Land for Indigenous People and Child Labour
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the second periodic report of Cambodia, with Committee Experts commending the State party on the progress it had made in educating children, and asking questions about indigenous people’s access to land and child labour.
A Committee Expert said several sources confirmed that Cambodia had made good progress in educating its children. Over 97 per cent of children had been enrolled in school as of 2018, which should be commended. Questions were asked about education, particularly around school dropout rates and access to education for migrant and refugee children and children with disabilities.
A Committee Expert asked about the criteria for determining the territory and land that indigenous groups had access to? Was this done in consultation with indigenous groups and families? Who decided if land was private property or communal property? What measures had been established to ensure meaningful consultations with indigenous persons?
A Committee Expert said laws did not provide minimum age protections for domestic workers, which left them vulnerable to child labour. Would this loophole be closed? How many children were working in dangerous conditions? What measures were taken when child labour was found during labour inspections? What sanctions were imposed on those using illegal child labour?
The delegation said it was up to each indigenous community to voluntarily request communal land for registration; they needed to start the process with the Government themselves. Only a few days ago, the Ministry of Land Management had registered the land of 40 indigenous communities out of 94 who had requested land registration, equal to over 39,000 hectares of land. There was no fixed rule for the ideal size of land for communities. Instead, it was based on the availability of land, and the specific zones and regions.
The delegation said it was common for children to help their parents at work after they had finished school; this was not considered to be child labour. Cambodia strictly followed the law, which stated that the minimum age of a worker was 15 years old. Any employer who wanted to employ children aged between 15 and 18 years old needed to make a list of those workers and have the list registered. There was zero tolerance of child labour; the Labour Inspector would issue a fine on the spot if any cases of child labour were found.
Introducing the report, Chin Malin, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Justice, Vice President of the Cambodia Human Rights Committee and head of the delegation, said Cambodia had come far since the Indochina War, the Cold War, and the Khmer Rouge genocide, which had shattered the country’s national infrastructure, wealth, and resources. Cambodia’s Criminal Code defined discrimination as a criminal offence, and the Labor Law prohibited discrimination by employers for any reason.
The Law on Minimum Wage upheld the ideal of wage equality by mandating that companies paid all employees equally, without discrimination. The Cambodian economy was projected to grow at a rate of 6.6 per cent in 2023, and during the year, the salaries of civil servants and the armed forces would be raised.
In concluding remarks, Aslan Abashidze, Vice Chair and Country Rapporteur, expressed gratitude to the Committee and said the dialogue had been constructive. It was hoped the concluding observations of the Committee would be accepted as recommendations for improving the situation of economic, social and cultural rights in Cambodia.
Chin Malin, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Justice, Vice President of the Cambodia Human Rights Committee and Head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Cambodia was looking forward to the concluding observations of the Committee, to improve the human rights situation in Cambodia.
The delegation of Cambodia was comprised of representatives from the Cambodian Human Rights Committee; the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training; the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction; the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport; the Ministry of Rural Development; and the Permanent Mission of Cambodia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public on this afternoon at 3 p.m. to consider the third periodic report of Lithuania (E/C.12/LTU/3).
Report
The Committee has before it the second periodic report of Cambodia (E/C.12/KHM/2).
Presentation of Report
CHIN MALIN, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Justice, Vice President of the Cambodia Human Rights Committee and Head of the delegation, said Cambodia had come far since the Indochina War, the Cold War, and the Khmer Rouge genocide, which had shattered the country’s national infrastructure, wealth, and resources. The Cambodian Government had been working on a draft Environment and Natural Resources Code since 2015. To ensure the management of natural resources and the conservation of biodiversity, the Government had established protected areas covering over seven million hectares, around 41 per cent of the total land area of Cambodia. The percentage of people living below the poverty line fell to 9.7 per cent in 2017, from 22.9 per cent in 2009. The Anti-Corruption Unit had taken measures to fight against corruption, including scrutinizing related court cases. Over the past five years, the Unit had forwarded 28 case files to courts, and 41 perpetrators were convicted. Cambodia’s Criminal Code defined discrimination as a criminal offence, and the Labor Law prohibited discrimination by employers for any reason.
The Ministry of Women's Affairs had launched and expanded education and vocational training programs for women to develop entrepreneurial skills. Between the 2017/2018 and the 2021/2022 academic years, the number of graduates of technical and vocational training increased by around 270,000 people. The Law on Minimum Wage upheld the ideal of wage equality by mandating that companies paid all employees equally, without discrimination. The Ministry of Labor established inter-ministerial inspection teams in the manufacturing, agricultural, and tourism industries as part of the reform of these inspection teams. As of 2022, a total of 6,014 professional organizations were registered with the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training. The National Social Security Fund provided social security schemes, including pensions, healthcare, occupational risk and unemployment payments.
Mr. Chin said the National Committee for Counter Trafficking worked to battle against human trafficking, addressing the root causes and gathering information. The Council for Agriculture and Rural Development launched the Second National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition from 2019 to 2023. The Government ensured that low-and-middle income and vulnerable groups had access to affordable housing. Indigenous dances were included on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and steps had been taken to preserve indigenous languages by implementing a multi-level primary education programme for indigenous children in provinces, among other measures.
The Cambodian economy was projected to grow at a rate of 6.6 per cent in 2023, and during the year, the salaries of civil servants and the armed forces would be raised. The pensions of former civil servants and veterans would also be increased, as well as the minimum wage for workers in textile, garment and footwear sectors. Cambodia had turned from a land where the national economy had been destroyed to a land of peace, unity, and democracy.
Questions by Committee Experts
ASLAN ABASHIDZE, Vice Chair and Country Rapporteur, said there had been significant developments in Cambodia’s economic and cultural lives since the report had been submitted. Were economic, cultural and social rights enshrined in the Constitution in a manner consistent with the Covenant? Had there been an analysis of this? Could a Cambodian citizen rely on the provisions of the Covenant, and would a court accept such provisions in its proceedings? Were there cases where the Covenant had been directly invoked? Could the statistics of at least five years of criminal cases and decisions relating to the violation of the rights of civil society be provided?
What efforts were undertaken by the State party to hold business entities accountable for violations of economic rights? How were victims provided with redress? Which legislative acts considered the rights of indigenous peoples, including their right to access land and natural resources? Could the delegation give a complete review of the fight against corruption? Cambodia did not seem to have any comprehensive laws to address discrimination; what was the State party’s position on this? What efforts had been undertaken to address the disparities between people living in rural and urban areas regarding the enjoyment of rights?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there needed to be national legislation derived from the international instruments. Cambodia had accepted all important international legal instruments. Without the national law, the court could not use the international legal instruments. The Government was working on drafting the law on the national institute for human rights, which was now under consultation. Civil societies in Cambodia were engaged in the consultation process, however a few groups did not join. This had hindered the development of the draft law. It was hoped the process would be completed within 2024. Currently, it seemed that civil society were happy to conduct their activities without the law. Civil society did not want the law to require them to be neutral, but they were happy for the Government to be neutral.
There was no common law regarding business and human rights. The Government had issued regulations which required business entities to have environmental policies as part of their business framework. There was no common policy or legal framework on non-discrimination in Cambodia as such. The Government was considering how this could be achieved.
Cambodia was the first country that had implemented an International Labour Organisation project to improve working conditions. The programme had been successful and had been replicated in other countries around the world. Cambodia had ratified all core International Labour Organisation Conventions. Under Cambodian labour laws, there were two kinds of protection against discrimination, one of which provided general protection to workers. There was also a law which prohibited discrimination against trade union members. Cambodian women had a strong right to employment and women workers were entitled to 90 days of maternity leave.
A national policy focusing on Indigenous people had been issued, which protected their customs. A policy was also issued regarding the registration of the land of indigenous people. It was up to each indigenous community to voluntarily request communal land for registration; they needed to start the process with the government themselves. As of only a few days ago, the Ministry of Land Management had registered the land of 40 indigenous communities out of 94 who had requested land registration, which was equal to over 39,000 hectares of land. The delegation said penalties would be faced, including fines, if project owners or a responsible person failed to submit an environmental impact assessment.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked what the delegation thought about the independence of the judiciary generally? Were there specific issues when it came to land?
A Committee Expert said there were several issues regarding the Business and Human Rights National Action Plan. How was the State party intending to holistically adopt the framework to ensure environmental degradation and good governance were promoted?
A Committee Expert asked if the Committee would consider reviewing the law on civil society to ensure all civil society organisations could exercise their right to freedom of assembly? What was the proportion of public revenue generated through taxes? What percentage of total revenue was generated through personal income taxes from the richest in Cambodian society?
A Committee Expert asked about the criteria to determine how much territory and land indigenous groups had access to? Was this done in consultation with indigenous groups and families? Who decided if this was private property or communal property? What measures were established to ensure meaningful consultations with indigenous persons; and to ensure human rights defenders’ land rights were protected and supported in their work? Did measures take into account when there were cases of intimidation? Were perpetrators held responsible? Did the State plan to ratify International Labour Organisation Convention 169?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said judges needed to pass entrance exams and study for three years. The judiciary was independent by law. Persons who held a land title were considered as the owners of the land. The Government utilised social policies that supported those who did not have land. Cambodia needed to have an umbrella framework for human rights and business. There also needed to be a law for protecting witnesses, which was currently being developed. A mechanism was in place to protect witnesses and whistle-blowers, but the umbrella policy was required to ensure implementation. More time was needed to develop this.
It was not difficult to establish non-governmental organisations in Cambodia. There were more than 6,000 organisations, but there was a lack of professionalism and skills among these organisations. Cambodian non-governmental organisations also relied on external funds, which impacted their impartiality. The third issue was polarization; non-governmental organisations in Cambodia took sides and had a political agenda. The law being developed would not restrict non-governmental organisations, but would help these entities become more professional and proficient, and provide clear guidelines and frameworks for their work. The law would also stop the organisations criticising the government without valid grounds, as currently occurred.
Cambodia had suffered from a genocidal regime for almost four years, losing 1.7 million people out of the seven-million-person population. The country was liberated in 1979 but it was only in 1993 that a general election, supported by the United Nations, was held. Peace for the region was only guaranteed in 1999. Given this, there were still issues within the State. Before court settlements were taken, which was a last resort, land disputes needed to be attempted to be settled out of courts. Forced eviction was a last resort. There were occasionally forced evictions, only when it was necessary. There was no fixed rule for the ideal size of land for communities. Instead, it was based on the availability of land, and the specific zones and regions. The State should be commended for registering the land of 40 indigenous communities since 2016; previously there had only been two registered.
Cambodia did not allow trade unions to be affiliated with any political parties, as this was not consistent with international law. However, trade union members had full rights to support any political party they wished to. The Ministry of Labour utilised the Labour Inspection unit, which inspected all enterprises and establishments covered by labour laws.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said the Committee recognized the measures taken by the State party to respond to the pandemic. After Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, what was the employment situation? What measures had Cambodia adopted to assist migrant workers stranded abroad? Had the State party adopted a comprehensive policy to address the Covid-19 recovery? How did it ensure that persons with disabilities had access to meaningful employment? It was noted that Cambodia had ratified eight of the nine human rights treaties, however concern was expressed that the State party had not ratified core International Labour Organisation treaties relating to occupational safety. When would these be implemented? What was being done to ensure the minimum wage for all workers?
There was concern around the lack of transparency in Special Economic Zones in Cambodia. How many workers were in these Special Economic Zones? Did they receive the minimum wage? How were they treated under Covid-19 preventative measures? The Committee was highly concerned about the informal sector in Cambodia. Covid-19 exposed several incidents which pointed to the inadequacy of social security in the informal sector.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the fight against the pandemic saw success through proper leadership, which restarted the process of economic recovery after the Covid-19 crisis. When restrictions were first implemented, there had been a negative reaction from the population. Restrictions had been imposed on the freedom of movement and assembly, and lockdowns were introduced, as well as vaccine obligations which were required by the law. Some countries had criticized these laws saying they violated the rights of the people. Now, the measures were not being criticized, as results had been positive; the end justified the means. Those who violated Covid-19 laws in Cambodia had received a warning, and were then allowed to go back home. They were fined but did not go to jail.
Freedom of expression was protected under the law in Cambodia. The shutdown of certain media outlets was not to restrict their rights, but because they were exaggerating information and creating fake news. The increase in the number of jobs meant the employment rate was stable, and currently sat at around 82 per cent. The number of vocational graduates in 2021 and 2022 increased by over 270 per cent. At the same time, to reduce the skill gap in the labour market, the national employment agency had increased the number of employment agencies to 14.
The pandemic had badly affected the economy in multiple sectors in Cambodia. Measures were adopted which focused on combatting the spread of the pandemic, supporting those who had lost their jobs, as well as businesses. The Government had encouraged factories to suspend their workers instead of their terminating their employment contracts. Cambodia provided free vaccinations to the population, and almost 96 percent of the population had received four doses of the vaccination. The State was currently in the sixth dose rollout process.
Several measures were put in place by the Government to protect migrant workers in other countries, especially those in neighbouring countries such as Thailand. No worker could be sent to work overseas without a memorandum of understanding between Cambodia and the destination country. Information on the culture and legal declaration of the country they would go to work in was also provided. Cambodia had constructed a legal framework which ensured that social security for migrant workers would be portable, this was in collaboration with five neighbouring countries. The Cambodian Government had worked closely with the Government of Thailand to allow Cambodian workers to receive the same benefits as Thai workers. The Government placed a high priority on improving the conditions of workers. Increasing the minimum wage was one of the key priorities of this strategy; it had already been increased 18 times since 1997. The Labour Inspection mechanism continued to be strengthened. A telegram channel was created to allow workers to report any labour violations, including of the minimum wage. The minimum wage was applied to any enterprise covered by the Labour Law.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked about irregular workers; what was their situation? How were they protected and provided with training for employment? What happened during Covid-19, when many of these workers were stranded in Thailand? Could workers concretely exercise their rights to form unions and strike? The portability of social security was interesting; could this be expanded to the informal sector?
A Committee Expert asked about the update on the law on domestic violence and protection of victims. The Committee acknowledged information received that more than 1,500 vulnerable children had been assisted with vocational training. However, laws did not provide minimum age protections for domestic workers, which left them vulnerable to child labour. Would this loophole be closed? How many children were working in dangerous conditions? What measures were being taken if child labour was found during labour inspections? What sanctions were imposed on those using illegal child labour? How many families in debt from micro-credit schemes had to sell their land? How had the Covid-19 situation increased the problem of micro-credit debt? What were plans to assist families in high levels of debt? Were there any client protection laws to deal with these micro-credit schemes?
Cambodia was ranked as one of the 15 countries most at risk of climate change. What were the problems perceived as being important for Cambodia? How was the increase in food and energy prices affecting the poverty levels in the country? What steps would be taken to address this? What were plans to address the situation regarding access to food? The Committee had received information about high levels of forced eviction from agricultural land due to acquisition. What information could be provided on this? Information had been received that land conflicts remained immense challenges for indigenous people. What progress had been made after the 2019 Universal Periodic Review?
What was the budget being spent on health and in what areas? More than 55,000 people had been arrested in Cambodia on suspicion of selling drugs before 2020. What were the updated figures? Did Cambodia plan to revise drug policy to allow access to adequate treatments; enact a mental health law; and adopt a comprehensive mental health strategy? What steps had the Government taken to eliminate the practice of shackling of people with psycho-social disabilities?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Cambodian citizens had the right to establish and join trade unions. The Law on Trade Union was amended in 2020. Under this law, trade unions could be registered at any provincial level. This had led to an increase in the number of trade unions. All workers in Cambodia had the right to strike under national law. The Ministry of Labour had closely monitored the process of worker layoffs. During the pandemic, many business owners needed to let go of staff to maintain their businesses. The Ministry facilitated redundancy plans to ensure the process was carried out fairly and without issue. Significant reform had been made within the Labour Inspection system. Inspectors had been trained and work had been done with the International Labour Organisation to develop a handbook for the Labour Inspector.
As of December 2022, 1.3 million Cambodian citizens were overseas; 1.2 million of these people were working in Thailand. These workers had been provided with emergency protection and documentation under the framework which had been developed within the Cambodian and Thai Governments. Cambodia was proud to have implemented the first social security scheme in the country’s history in 2016. Over 2.7 million workers had registered with the national social security fund for the healthcare scheme, and by the end of 2022, over 13,000 enterprises had been registered under the new pension scheme. People in the informal sector were not being left behind. The implementation of the national security scheme was being undertaken step by step, and a study was currently being undertaken on the feasibility of extending this scheme to the informal economy. As of 2022, 160 indigenous villages had been recognized in Cambodia.
A sub-decree on indigenous land titling was adopted in 2009. There were several phases when it came to registering indigenous communities, with multiple stakeholders involved. The Government did not have a mandate over any indigenous land. State public land was part of State property, whereas State private land was State public property that had been transferred to become private. Some indigenous communities could lay a claim to land where they had roamed on or being living, such as a national park. There was no limit to what each indigenous family could came, which made this issue complicated. Landless and poor non-indigenous people could be entitled to up to five hectares of land, whereas indigenous people were entitled to at least ten hectares of land, and sometimes up to hundreds. The Cambodian Government sought to give indigenous people special treatment.
Scholarships were provided to poor students, and 102,000 students had received scholarships at the secondary level. There was scholarship programme for poor indigenous students who were academically gifted. A school meal programme had been provided in collaboration with the World Food Programme. This had been implemented in over 1,100 schools. Education played a critical role in dealing with climate change. Texts on climate change were integrated into the national curriculum. A National Action Plan on Violence against Women was adopted in 2021. The Cambodian National Council for Women provided defence services at all courts for women. Action plans had been introduced to respond to violence against children and to protect children from sexual exploitation online.
To address challenges in access to health care services, the Government had expanded coverage across the country. As of December 2020, there were 1,050 public health facilities nation-wide. Despite the absence of a legal framework covering mental health care, Cambodia had given priorities to the development of mental health. Since 1994, the Ministry of Health had developed specialised training of psychiatrists and other health professionals. When Covid-19 first appeared in the country, health and legal precaution programmes were instigated. The Prime Minister had recently announced free services for athletes who were injured in competitions. In the past, athletes who had been injured in special competitions had found it difficult to receive treatments in public and private hospitals due to the cost of treatment.
The delegation said it was common for children to help their parents at work after they had finished school; this was not considered as child labour. Cambodia strictly followed the law which stated that the minimum age of a worker was 15 years old. Any employer who wanted to employ children aged between 15 and 18 years old needed to make a list of those workers and have the list registered. There was zero tolerance of child labour; the Labour Inspector would issue a fine on the spot if any cases of child labour were found. Domestic workers in Cambodia were considered as part of the family they worked with. Any attempt to formalize this would not help these people. In the future, when Cambodia became a modern country, it would be appropriate to ratify the International Labour Organisation Convention, but it was not practical currently. However, other legislation ensured that domestic workers were fairly treated.
The Cambodian Government prioritized the elimination of child labour. A national committee against child labour had long been established. More committees would be created in every provincial administration to focus on child labour. The roles and responsibilities of the Committee had been increased over time. Child labour was not necessary for Cambodia. The country had a large labour force; it was not necessary to use children. It was against the law for parents not to send their children to school and was compulsory for children to receive education up until grade nine.
There was no forced eviction in Cambodia, only “involuntary resettlement”. Force was only used as a last resort when people became violent or refused to attend negotiations or consultations. Cambodia aimed to graduate to a high-income country by 2050. There were a lot of investment development projects in Cambodia which were privately funded. There were 113 development investment projects in Cambodia, and 23 of them had had their license revoked.
Questions by Committee Experts
An Expert asked about debt related to micro-credit. This seemed to be a large problem for Cambodian society. What were the figures on food insecurity? What was being done to decriminalize drug use, to help combat overcrowding in prison.
Another Expert asked about the Special Economic Zones, and how irregular workers were being protected.
MOHAMED EZZELDIN ABDEL-MONEIM, Committee Chair, noted that there had previously been a question on taxation; this was very important. Some taxes such as income taxes were logical, but others could impact on the quality of life. The Committee was concerned about income equality.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said according to criminal laws, drug users were not criminalized, but they were required to be sent to rehabilitation centres. There was an overcrowding issue in prisons. One way to address this was through alternative sentencing, and encouraging courts to consider non-custodial measures whenever possible. There was also a need to improve rehabilitation programmes in prisons. Microfinancing credit debts were a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The State had plans to address this. The Government was working with microfinancing companies to provide favourable conditions to the debtor, including extending deadlines for payments. Not paying back the loan was not an option.
Cambodia had 23 Special Economic Zones, which employed over 1,200 workers. The responsible ministry deployed officers to ensure that working conditions in these zones were highly protected. The Special Economic Zone had an agreement with the Government to ensure Cambodian laws were properly adhered to. No companies within these premises were permitted to violate their workers’ rights. It was the first time for the delegation to hear that working conditions in the Special Economic Zones was not good; the reality was totally different. Irregular workers did not exist under Cambodian law, but Cambodia did have casual workers. Under law, casual workers were entitled to the same rights as regular, fulltime workers.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said several sources confirmed that Cambodia had made good progress in educating its children. Over 97 per cent of children had been enrolled in school as of 2018, which should be commended. What were the specific steps to increase secondary school enrolment and decrease the dropout rate? What were the accountability and monitoring measures in place within the Cambodian education system? According to statistics there were no disadvantaged schools on Cambodian territories, however this was because the schools needed to meet at least five conditions, including having no water or latrine facilities, meaning it would be hard to classify a school as disadvantaged. How was this restrictive definition developed? What was planned to improve the drinking water supply and latrines in Cambodian schools? Could more information be provided to the Committee on the special education facilities for children with disabilities?
What was the situation of refugee and migrant children in Cambodia? What steps needed to be taken to enable them to have access to education in public schools at all levels? It was positive that the report on the levels of education for indigenous people had been developed. The report found that almost half of Cambodia’s indigenous population did not attend school, and many did not complete school. What measures would be introduced to address the low levels of education attainment for indigenous children in Cambodia? What programmes were meant to facilitate educational access for children disproportionately impacted by Covid-19? What measures were in place to ensure cultural implications were taken into account when consultations were held around indigenous land?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there was an intervention to improve school enrolment, reduce dropouts and absenteeism. These measures included the implementation of a child-friendly school programme in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund. There was also the Resource School, which provided additional facilities, including laboratories for physics, biology and chemistries, as well as a highly modern library. Another measure was the school management programme, which ensured the high-quality training of teachers, to improve students learning outcomes. The goal was to ensure that eventually, all schools at all levels would become new generation schools with state-of-the-art technology. Different models of schools were being developed to ensure the more than 3.5 million schooling population of Cambodia received quality education.
The number one priority for the Ministry of Education was teachers. If there were good teachers, there would be good students. This was why there such a big focus on teacher training. There were 24 teacher training institutes in Cambodia, and significant investment had been made in these institutions. This would result in an improvement in students’ knowledge. Scholarships were also provided for teachers, enabling them to study at the national training centre. School buildings had been constructed on the grounds of a new educational design framework, ensuring inclusive access for all students, especially those with disabilities. Rails were installed to enable students with disabilities to access all areas of the school.
The Covid-19 pandemic had impacted all schools around the world, but also provided an opportunity to enhance digital education. Cambodia was currently implementing hybrid teaching.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked whether access to public Cambodian schools was ensured for migrant and refugee children? What were the legal obligations for qualifying a school as disadvantaged?
Closing Statements
ASLAN ABASHIDZE, Vice Chair and Country Rapporteur, expressed gratitude to the Committee. All the questions stemmed from the provisions of the Covenant and were aimed at clarifying certain aspects relating to Cambodia’s report. Mr. Abashidze said the dialogue had been constructive. It was hoped the concluding observations of the Committee would be accepted as recommendations for improving the situation of economic, social and cultural rights in Cambodia.
CHIN MALIN, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Justice, Vice President of the Cambodia Human Rights Committee and Head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue. Many questions, comments and observations had been received, and the delegation would respond to those which were outstanding in writing. Cambodia was looking forward to the concluding observations of the Committee, to improve the human rights situation in Cambodia.
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