A new migrant worker resource centre (MRC) established in Siem Reap province will strengthen awareness‑raising and support service for potential and returning Cambodian migrant workers, particularly in the fishing and seafood processing sectors.
Phnom Srey Organization for Development will work in close collaboration with the Provincial Department of Labour and Vocational Training to operate the MRC in Siem Reap. The initiative aims to expand access to training and informational materials on safe migration and labour rights, provide capacity building for key stakeholders, deliver legal assistance for complaint cases and increase livelihoods and psycho-social services to support reintegration of returned migrant workers.
Cambodian migrant workers contribute greatly to the country's economic and social development. In 2024, remittances from migrant workers reached nearly US$3 billion, equivalent to 6.1 per cent of Cambodia's gross domestic product (GDP). These financial flows make an outsized contribution to reducing rural poverty and supporting economic growth across the country.
"Labour migration has long provided an essential livelihood for the Cambodian people. Today, with the launch of this new Migrant Worker Resource Centre in Siem Reap, we are expanding the availability of information and services for Cambodian migrants and their family members. The EU is proud to support this initiative, which will empower thousands of workers and strengthen migrant communities in Cambodia," said Mr. Koen Everaert, Deputy Head of Cooperation for the European Union Delegation in Cambodia.
The expansion of support services in Siem Reap is particularly timely in light of the mass return of Cambodian migrant workers during the recent border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. Research conducted by ILO and IOM has identified returnees in the province as experiencing some of the highest rates of debt and unemployment during the initial stage of their return home.
"The ILO recognizes that this is a particularly challenging time for many returning Cambodian migrant workers despite the enormous efforts made by the Cambodian government. Working closely with the Cambodian Government, the MRCs play a vital role in delivering individualized and responsive support services to migrant workers and their families. The establishment of this new Centre in Siem Reap will build upon the existing MRC network and help to address the specific needs of migrant workers in the fishing and seafood processing sectors," said Xiaoyan Qian, ILO Country Director for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR.
The MRC in Siem Reap will benefit from the capabilities of both Phnom Srey Organization for Development and the Provincial Department of Labour and Vocational Training, working together to improve safe migration and decent work for Cambodian migrant workers.
"The establishment of this MRC in Siem Reap represents an important step forward. It expands access to vital information and services and strengthens protection mechanisms for migrant fishers and seafood processing workers. I am confident that this MRC will foster stronger collaboration and support progress towards our shared objective of decent work for all Cambodian migrant workers," said Taing Phengrithy, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training.
Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia: Safe Migration for Decent Work in the Blue Economy is a regional initiative funded by the EU. The ILO implements the programme in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with the overall objective of promoting safe migration and decent work for a sustainable fish and seafood supply chain in South-East Asia. The programme addresses the specific vulnerabilities that migrant workers face in these sectors, as well as the risks they encounter during the labour migration process, which can lead to decent work deficits, labour rights abuses, and forced labour.
