|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
  |
 |
  |
Cambodia
>> Regional Overview >> Cambodia Overview
Summary Tables
Program Summary
Previous Years' Activities
2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997Last updated: 53
Introduction
As a key signatory to the 1991 Paris Peace Accord, which ended a decade-long civil war and transformed Cambodia from a one-party Communist state into an emerging pluralistic democracy, the United States' highest national interests in Cambodia has been the promotion of democracy and the continued improvement of human rights. Also of great importance is addressing the global problems of infectious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. Other important U.S. interests are improvement in reproductive and child health; humanitarian assistance to those still suffering the effects of civil war, genocide and foreign occupation; and improvement in the lives of the 85% of Cambodia's population in rural areas who remain mired in poverty.
Development Challenge
Despite progress during this decade, Cambodia was ranked 137th of 174 countries on the human development index by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in its 1999 Human Development Report. Cambodia lags behind most of its neighbors in the region in bringing a higher quality of life to its citizens. Per capita annual income is $280, and this figure is even lower for the majority of people who live in rural areas where cash is scarce and life is hard. Infant, child and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in Asia. Rates of malnutrition in children and anemia in both children and women of reproductive ages are alarmingly high. Life expectancy at birth is only in the mid-50s, and even that level is threatened by Cambodia's fast-growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since World War II, Cambodia has been torn by political strife and civil war, the worst of which by far was the brutal Khmer Rouge regime led by Pol Pot in the last half of the 1970s, which devastated the country and its people. Years of war and neglect have ravaged the country's physical infrastructure and decimated its human resource base. In this decade, the process of rebuilding has begun. Since 1999, for the first time in 30 years, there is peace and stability.
Within the past two years, policy successes in progress towards democracy and improved governance in Cambodia are numerous. In 1998, a successful election in which 93% of eligible voters expressed their choice resulted in the establishment of a carefully negotiated coalition government. An elected National Assembly and appointed Senate, with a vocal opposition party present in both chambers, have enacted important laws-on the Khmer Rouge tribunal, commune (local) elections and commune administration, to cite a few. The government has embarked upon a comprehensive reform agenda, which is reviewed semi-annually with donors. Although progress is slow, there are signs of progress. Advances have been made in curbing illegal logging, in customs collection and other revenue mobilization, and in shifting resources from military and security to the social sectors. Commune elections to replace officials who were appointed during the 1980s are scheduled in February 2002. These successes, as well as continued reforms, remain fragile, however, in a climate where there is no reliable rule of law, trust and loyalties are fluid, corruption is pervasive, and democratic institutions are in their infancy.
USAID has achieved significant progress in helping meet Cambodia's development challenge. Since the early 1990s, USAID has been assisting the Cambodian people to rebuild their society. The development and strengthening of indigenous nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) has been a cornerstone of this effort. Cambodian NGOs are increasingly stepping forward to deliver services, and to provide training, technical assistance, information exchange and advocacy support previously delivered by international private voluntary organizations (PVOs).
U.S. assistance has been invaluable in supporting programs and organizations to protect human rights and to strengthen civil society. A public defender's program now makes legal aid available to the poor in 88% of the country's courts. Human rights monitoring is ongoing in 23 of Cambodia's 24 provinces and municipalities. USAID-supported Cambodian NGOs are speaking out persuasively for government accountability and to influence public policy.
USAID's NGO partners have penetrated the rural areas with high-impact child survival programs through village development committees and increased the proportion of women seeking antenatal care. They have promoted the micronutrient agenda with the first national micronutrient survey and have provided high quality care for obstetric complications in areas where none was available before. Sales of socially marketed OK-brand contraceptive pills increased 87% in one year. The Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia generated a 60% increase in outreach clients over 1999 to a total of 215,000.
As Cambodia's largest HIV/AIDS donor, the USAID program complements the Cambodian government's national AIDS program by strategically targeting the population at highest risk. The NGO social marketing partner sold 16 million condoms in 2000. Thirty-three community-based organizations have been trained to provide AIDS education and care.
To assist Cambodian victims of war and mines, U. S. assistance has built the indigenous capacity to produce the 5,000 prosthetics, orthotics or wheelchairs needed annually. USAID-supported NGOs provide technical training and job search help to over 1,000 orphaned, displaced or poor youth annually. With these efforts successfully underway, disabled Cambodians are now better able to reintegrate into society.
In 1999, to meet the demand of the 85% of the rural poor who do not have access to credit-and with an initial investment of less than $1 million-USAID's NGO partners provided over 90,000 clients with loans totaling over $5.5 million. More than 90% of clients were women; the average loan was less than $200.
Other Donors
Total development assistance to Cambodia has returned to the pre-July 1997 level of $400 to $500 million annually. The United States, the only donor that has not resumed bilateral aid, is now the eighth largest donor, behind Japan, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the UNDP, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, and Australia-and only slightly ahead of Sweden, France and Germany. Assistance from other donors is provided primarily for infrastructure projects, rural development, poverty alleviation, and social sector spending. Donor coordination, through sector and reform-area working groups, is very good.
FY 2002 Program
USAID requests $25,000,000 of Economic Support Funds (ESF) and $10,000,000 of Child Survival and Disease (CSD) funds for the FY 2002 program of assistance to the Cambodian people. The ESF will support programs to strengthen democratic participation, respect for human rights, and advocacy for environment and natural resources. It also will improve reproductive and child health and the quality of primary education. CSD funds will support HIV prevention, AIDS care and support, and HIV/AIDS impact mitigation programs. Global Leahy War Victims funds will support programs for war and mine victims.
In addition to the bilateral program, USAID's Global Bureau invests modest funds to increase and improve the protection and sustainable use of natural resources, principally forests, biodiversity, freshwater and coastal ecosystems, and agricultural lands.
Activity Data Sheets
- 442-001 Strengthened Democratic Processes and Respect for Human Rights
- 442-002 Improved Reproductive and Child Health
- 442-003 Improved Quality of Primary Education
- 442-004 Enhanced Assistance for War and Mine Victims
- 442-005 Reduced Transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS in High-Risk Populations
- 442-007 Expanded Access to Sustainable Financial Services
- 442-008 Other Activities in Support of Agency Objectives
Country Background Information Resources
CIA Factbook
Library of CongressNational Geographic Country Maps
State Dept. Country Information
 |
|||
Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
