Op-Ed: A Dead End for Cambodian Mothers in Rural

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In the quiet village of Trapaing Kralanh of Kampong Spue province, resides Kang Somaly, a devoted mother of two.

At 29 years old, Kang's days are filled with caring for her 7-year-old attending primary school, her four-month-old baby, and her 66-year-old mother. 

Without childcare options in her village or nearby, Kang had to make the difficult decision to leave her job as a garment worker, once a source of vital income for her family. With her husband's earnings as a driver now the sole financial lifeline, Kang faces the daunting challenge of making ends meet on a monthly income of around $200.

According to the International Finance Corporation, inadequate childcare options can lead to increased turnover and absenteeism as well as reduced job satisfaction and productivity among employees. The absence of childcare can significantly impact parents' decisions regarding employment, particularly affecting women, who are responsible for 75 percent of unpaid caregiving duties worldwide.

The lack of readily available childcare options not only forces many women to exit the workforce, thereby perpetuating societal penalties associated with motherhood, as it showed in Kang's story.

Geographical Barriers

Geographical factors play a significant role in shaping the accessibility of childcare services, particularly in more suburban and rural areas. 

One of the most prominent challenges stems from the considerable distances between suburban and rural villages and childcare centers, according to a World Vision report. Unlike urban areas with clustered childcare facilities, suburban and rural communities often lack nearby services due to their dispersed nature, creating significant barriers for families seeking childcare options.

Mothers, for example, who work in suburban and rural garment factories—many of which are located along highways close to provincial centers—find it challenging to take their kids to childcare facilities that are concentrated in provincial capitals —if they can afford one. And based on the Tackling Childcare report, this geographical separation can span up to 15 kilometers.

This leaves working mothers two options:

Either paying extra for transportation provided by the centers or schools, costing between $5 to $10 per month, or dropping their children off at the centers as early as 6:30 a.m. to ensure they arrive at work punctually.

In the case of childcare facilities available within the garment factory, the considerable distances between the villages where women live and the factories also pose a challenge.

In Kampong Tralach, most mothers are more likely to work overtime since the van/truck transports don't operate at the usual finishing time and it takes them over 30 minutes traveling by vehicle each way. As a result, none of the mothers are making use of the facilities.

And the reasons cited included the long distance and difficulty in securing transportation. Additionally, there was reluctance to transport young babies to and from the factory twice a day in temperatures that could reach 40 degrees Celsius. 

As such, children are frequently left in the care of grandparents who live far from the factory, while the mothers send money home each month.

Punh Pomh, a 35-year-old working at Anful Factory in Kampong Speu, has her daughter living with her own mother in Kampong Thom. She shared,“Every month when I go to visit my daughter or my mother I don’t want to go back to the factory,” adding, "But if I don't work at the factory, I can't support them financially."

Final Thoughts:

The story of Kang Somaly and many others like her highlights the complex challenges faced by women in Cambodia's rural areas.

With limited access to childcare, long distances to available facilities, and the constant pressure to provide financially for their families, these women are caught in a cycle that forces them to make heartbreaking choices.

Addressing these geographical and economic barriers is essential to empower women and ensure they have the opportunity to participate fully in the workforce while also caring for their families.

Without systemic change, women like Kang will continue to face impossible decisions that no mother should have to make.