Research Triangle Institute

Despite rising incomes, Cambodian families continue to face significant challenges that jeopardize children’s holistic development. The experiences of many young Cambodian children illustrate how adversities accumulate, increase families’ vulnerabilities, and undermine children’s ability to reach their developmental potential. Much progress has been made in Cambodia in the past 20 years in decreasing poverty, infant mortality, and disease burden through economic growth and investments in health, education, protection, and other sectors, yet the complex interplay of risks to child development has not yet been comprehensively addressed.

The Cambodia IECD Activity seeks to improve holistic development outcomes for young children by promoting nurturing care, preventing stunting, and increasing early identification of and intervention for children with developmental delays and disabilities. The IECD Activity takes a multi-sectoral approach to achieve these goals and focuses on the early childhood years, especially the first 1,000 days of life. The Cambodia IECD Activity also provides flexible support to meet the needs of families with young children as circumstances surrounding COVID-19 evolve.