PHNOM PENH: The Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Helen Keller International and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) on Wednesday (4 May), on implementing pilot projects that aim to improve the health and nutrition of infants and children in factories.
The Minister of Labor, Ith Sam Heng, said that the MoU was valid for 15 months and was signed together with Helen Keller International Country Director, Gwyneth Cotes, and MUSEFO Project Director, Farid Selmi. The MoU was signed in regard to the implementation of pilot projects to improve the health, nutrition, and feeding of infants and children in factories in accordance with the Rectangular Strategy to contribute to the productivity and well-being of workers, and, in turn, the Cambodian economy.
The Minister said that the project focuses on 18 factories that have a total of 21,166 workers, and will provide training on the importance of infant and child health and nutrition, as well as child-rearing, to employers and workers' representatives, workers of reproductive age, and workers who are currently pregnant and breastfeeding.
At the signing ceremony, Gwyneth Cotes stated that Helen Keller International is currently piloting a project to improve the health and nutrition of women and children in a number of factories by supporting the GIZ-MUSEFO project to jointly promote health, productivity, and the Cambodian economy.
The program focuses on educating staff on the importance of health and nutrition, such as the importance of nutrition in health promotion and prevention of various diseases, the benefits of a high-nutrient diet, maternity and postpartum health, as well as education on raising infants and young children while working, to ensure that their children are healthy and can grow up to become high-potential citizens who will boost the national economy in the future.
She added that the project will provide educational materials and equipment such as refrigerators, tables, chairs, fans, breast pumps, hand towels, and hand soap to the existing breastfeeding rooms in each of the targeted factories.
She added that the Royal Government of Cambodia has supported the project and will achieve 85 percent nutrition and 85 percent industrial breastfeeding rates by 2030.
The Minister of Labor said he considers this project to have made a significant contribution to improving the health and hygiene of women and children. He added that the Ministry is developing its services and issuing new standards for more efficiency. He expects the project to not only improve working conditions but also boost the national economy.
