PHOM PENH, Cambodia – March 30, 2022

In 2020, road crashes among garment and footwear factory workers accounted for over 55% of the total commuting workers involved in road crashes. This does not only impact the lives of workers, but also the lives of the 2 million family members they support. This is a challenge that we can only solve by listening to the issues and concerns of the commuters. We must take into account their input to find a solution to this preventable tradegy.

To address these dangerous commuting conditions and seek solutions to improve them, AIP Foundation is implementing thePrevention & Participationprogram, with the support of VF Corporation in Cambodia. The goal of the program is to enable factory workers to commute to work and home again safely—using safe transport on safer roads—and access post-injury employment options in a disability-inclusive workplace.

Throughout March, to maximize the program outcomes, factory representatives, Road Safety Working Group (RSWG) members, and AIP Foundation program staff have been hosting a series of review and reflection meetings.

The objective of each meeting was to reflect on the program implementation and to gather inputs, gaps and lessons learned that can be produced and developed into the year 2 activity program for each of the RSWGs. The review and reflection workshops took place at targeted factories in Takeo, Kampong Cham, Kandal, Phnom Penh, and Kampong Spoeu provinces across the country.

During the reflective meetings, the participants shared that during the first year of the program they prioritized road safety activities to reduce road crashes at the factories. The participants have learned and succeeded in first-year implementation, and the RSWG members have agreed and prepared the annual work plan to be implemented in year 2 in 2022. The work plan included conducting educational sessions for the workers, encouraging the transition to safer vehicles, and improving the infrastructure outside of the factories. In addition, capacity building for the RSWGs and road safety information/skills training for the supervisors were crucial to prevent risks for daily commuters.

“In order to find a solution to the dangers that garment and footwear factory workers face every day, we need the experiences and input directly from them. Only then, we can work to improve conditions and ensure that workers have a safe commute,” shared Kim Pagna, AIP Foundation Country Director for Cambodia about the meetings.