CRC/C/KHM/CO/2-3
the State party to seek technical assistance from, inter alia, the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UNICEF.
Cooperation with civil society
24.
The Committee expresses deep concern over threats, harassment, physical attacks
and arrests of human rights defenders in the State party, especially those who defend the
right of families and children to housing. The Committee also notes with concern that
although non-governmental organizations working in the field of child rights play an
important role in raising awareness, promoting children’s rights and providing children
with care and protection, they often remain excluded from the development of policies,
laws and strategies on children. The Committee is further concerned about the extensive
use of the law on defamation and disinformation against those expressing dissenting
opinion and about the draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations,
which, if adopted, will greatly limit the work of human rights defenders in the State party.
25.
The Committee urges the State party to take concrete steps to give legitimate
recognition to human rights defenders and their work, reinstate a climate of trust and
cooperation with civil society and systematically involve communities as well as civil
society and children’s organizations in the planning, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of policies, plans and programmes related to child rights. The Committee
also urges the State party to ensure that reported instances of intimidation and
harassment are investigated promptly. The Committee further urges the State party
to implement the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights in Cambodia in this regard (A/HRC/15/46, para. 95).
Child rights and the business sector
26.
The Committee notes that in the context of economic growth and increased
domestic and foreign investment, the State party has taken positive measures to regulate the
impact of business on child rights in the formal economy, such as the garment industry. The
Committee is however concerned that the regulatory framework on the social and
environmental responsibility of business corporations, both national and international, is
not yet in place to prevent possible negative impact of their activities on children.
27.
The Committee recommends that the State party continue to be vigilant about
the compliance of its national law by local and foreign companies throughout its
territory, and to establish and implement regulations to ensure that the business
sector complies with international and domestic standards on corporate social and
environmental responsibility, particularly with regard to child rights, in line with the
United Nations Framework for Business and Human Rights which was adopted
unanimously by the Human Rights Council in 2008, and which outlines the duty of
States to protect against human rights abuses by businesses, corporate responsibilities
to respect human rights, and the need for more effective access to remedies when
violations occur.
B.
General principles (arts. 2, 3, 6 and 12 of the Convention)
Non-discrimination
28.
The Committee expresses concern about the increasing level of inequities and
disparities in the enjoyment of rights among children living in rural areas. Children
belonging to ethnic minorities from the North Eastern provinces and children from the
South Western provinces are in a particularly disadvantaged situation as regards access to
health, education and welfare. The Committee is also concerned about the persistence of
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