CSSEA No.6

Reproductive Health and Safety Issues Among of Young Women Garment Factory Workers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Of the estimated 700,000 individuals currently employed in Cambodia’s garment industry, the majority are young women who migrate from rural areas of the country seeking economic opportunity in urban areas. These female garment workers represent a significant proportion of the country’s labor force, as well as a substantial segment of the population of young women of reproductive age. For those women who successfully find jobs in a garment factory, the resulting low wages, long hours, and difficult conditions can limit the time and/or resources available to maintain their health. In addition to inadequate knowledge of important aspects of sexual and reproductive health, these workers struggle to access quality, affordable, and flexible health services.