Cambodian children: What are you most afraid of?

"I am afraid of thieves, child rape and drug users," said 12-year-old
Panchma, a Cambodian girl in a survey of more than 6,000 children in
47 countries conducted by international child development coalition
ChildFund Alliance.

The survey of the hopes and fears of children aged 10 through to 12
shows that Cambodian children are significantly more concerned by
violent crime than most of their peers around the world, but have
particularly high aspirations for education in their country.

The study's findings place Cambodia alongside Liberia and Afghanistan
as the countries where the highest proportion of children emphasised
fear of violence and crime.

In response to the question, "What are you most afraid of?" just under
one third of Cambodian children surveyed answered violence and crime –
more than any other named fear.

This was a significantly high percentage compared to other countries
where an average of only 10 per cent of children surveyed named
violence and crime as their top fears, with most children responding
their top dreads were scary animals and insects.

The next most common fear among Cambodian children, identified by 22
per cent of respondents, was "unfulfilled aspirations, such as not
being able to complete school or find employment".

The importance that Cambodian children in the survey attached to
education was echoed in their responses about hopes and aspirations.

Nearly three-quarters of kids said that if they were the leader of
Cambodia, their main way to better children's lives would be to
"improve education/provide enrichment opportunities" – a response
given by only 39 per cent of children surveyed overall and 52 per cent
of children in developing Asian nations.

Education also inspired a particularly large response among Cambodian
children to the question: "If you could grow up to be anything you
wanted, what would you be?"

Thirty-seven per cent of Cambodian children said they would be a
"teacher/academic."

by Justine Drennan
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012112159844/National-news/violence-tops-cambodian-children-fears-global-survey.html