PHNOM PENH: Plan International Cambodia has reported strong new evidence of progress in reducing Child, Early and Forced Marriage and Unions (CEFMU) in Ratanakkiri and Stung Treng provinces, based on findings from the end-line study and final evaluation of its “Time to Act!” project.
The initiative was implemented in 86 villages and focused on advancing adolescent girls’ rights, improving access to education, strengthening protection systems and promoting economic empowerment.
The evaluation shows a marked decline in child and early marriage among adolescent girls aged 18–22.
The proportion of girls married before the age of 18 dropped dramatically, from 26.3% to 9.5%, while marriage before age 15 declined from 2.5% to just 0.6%.
Similar progress was observed among boys, with child and early marriage rates falling from 6.2% to 2.1%.
These reductions coincided with major gains in education outcomes.
Completion of Grade 9 among girls rose from 36.5% to 64.9%, while access to comprehensive sexuality education expanded significantly — from 50.2% to 96.7%.
The study also found increased parental support for students and a sharp rise in gender-responsive teaching practices, which grew from 37.8% to 69.7%.
Economic empowerment outcomes were among the most striking results.
Employment within six months of completing skills training increased from 54.74% to 94.17%, while financial independence after one year rose from 57.4% to 88.5%.
In addition, the share of young women working in non-traditional trades more than doubled.
Kanada, a young woman from Ratanakkiri province who married at 17, shared her personal experience of how early marriage can limit girls’ education and career prospects.
After completing vocational training, she went on to open her own motorcycle repair shop and now encourages other girls to delay marriage and prioritise their studies.
“My shop has completely changed my life and I am so proud to run it. I want all girls to continue studying and build their own futures like I did,” explained Kanada.
Yi Kimthan, interim country director of Plan International Cambodia, said the findings demonstrate the direct link between girls’ empowerment and reductions in child, early and forced marriage.
“These results clearly demonstrate that when girls are empowered through education, protection and economic development opportunities, rates of child, early, and forced marriage decline — and their futures broaden,” he said.
“The progress seen in Ratanakkiri and Stung Treng shows that multisectoral approaches truly work,” he added.
He noted that while the progress is encouraging, it represents only an initial step.
With sustained commitment from government, donors and communities, Cambodia can move closer to a future in which no girl is forced into child or early marriage, and all adolescents are able to reach their full potential.
Plan International Cambodia stressed that continued investment is essential to expand successful approaches nationwide.
Key priorities include integrating comprehensive sexuality education into schools, strengthening community-based child protection systems and scaling up market-relevant vocational training — particularly for girls from rural and Indigenous communities. - Phnom Penh Post/ANN
