World Children’s Day in Cambodia
UNICEF’s day of action for children, by children
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Child rights are human rights. They are non-negotiable and universal.
World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s annual day of action for children, by children, and marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. On World Children’s Day, we celebrate and renew our commitments to children's rights, and we amplify the voices of children and youth with platforms to speak out and take action on issues that impact their lives.
In Cambodia, we celebrate World Children’s Day by bringing together government, development partners, civil society organizations, private sector, celebrities, and youth groups to advocate for and raise awareness about children’s rights. We empower children and young people as changemakers in their communities, and we amplify their voices as advocates for their own rights.
We target the most remote and vulnerable areas, where children are disproportionately deprived of access to essential services and face greater vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and other crises.
Bonn Phum on the Move for Children and Youth
In recent years, we’ve partnered with provincial authorities and Plerng Kob, a cultural and youth network, to co-organize a village festival (“Bonn Phum on the Move”) for children and youth in the remote provinces of Kratie, Mondulkiri, and Preah Vihear. In 2023, 2024, and 2025, over 25,000 children, young people, caregivers, and community members participated in the three-day celebrations. In 2025, the event was organized in the aftermath of the recent border conflict, providing an opportunity to heal the trauma of displacement, bring hope to affected communities, and reaffirm that children must be protected under all circumstances, especially in times of crisis. In 2026, UNICEF will partner with youth networks, private sector, and the provincial authorities to organize an event in Siem Reap province.
Facilitated by hundreds of trained youth volunteers, activities aim to teach children and young people about child rights, give them the chance to lead and become child rights advocates, and empower them to take care of their physical and mental health. We give young people the tools to take action on the issues relevant to where they live and build skills and knowledge for their future – including digital and life skills, climate adaptation, environmental preservation, healthy nutrition, online protection, disability and inclusion, and much more.
Traditional art performances and free concerts have also turned Cambodia’s most famous artists into child rights champions, reaching over 15,000 in person and five million online.
In Preah Vihear, a child-friendly six-kilometre fun run around the iconic Koh Ker temple complex brought together nearly 1,000 people under the theme “Run for Peace. Run for Children.”
What is the Convention of the Rights of the Child?
World Children’s Day takes place every year on 20 November, the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), a landmark agreement from 1989 that recognizes every child’s right to grow up safe, healthy, and heard. The UNCRC guides UNICEF’s work around the world, including in Cambodia, which ratified the convention in 1992. On World Children’s Day, we join our partners in calling for a world where no child is left behind, where their rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled under all circumstances, and where their voices shape a brighter future.
