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Publication date: June 2021
Authors: Vichheka Sao, Anisha Ratan and Hor Otdam
We recently conducted a nationally representative survey of 1,510, 15-30 year old Cambodians, as part of a wider study through the Klahan9 project. The study sought to find out about the lives of young Cambodians, including their media habits, key values, and how they participate in civic life.
Results from the quantitative study found that health, education and support from parents are the three things young people value most in their lives.
Their primary hopes and aspirations revolve around economic security; such as finding their dream job, having lots of money or finding a job that gives financial security - however life stage has an impact on the challenges and responsibilities they face.
Overall, finding a job is the biggest challenge young people say they are facing, however 15-17 year olds are less likely to say this than 18-24s or 25-30 year olds.
In terms of civic life, young Cambodians show positive attitudes towards civic engagement, driven by those who are more educated, in more skilled employment and slightly older. However, they are less likely to be taking action, with lack of time, knowledge and confidence as barriers to doing so. Whilst the majority of young people agree that individual or collaborative action can lead to change, their agreement is influenced by how knowledgeable they feel and how equipped they are with information about relevant issues: over a quarter (26%) of young people report not feeling knowledgeable about local and national issues. These young people are more likely to be people from rural areas, women and non-media users.
To learn more about the insights uncovered from this research please see the document above and further information on the project via the links below.