Children Behind Bars

Cambodian prisons face a critical situation marked by extreme overcrowding, a lack of essential services, and severe human rights violations. According to official data, prisons operate at 409% of their intended capacity (World Prison Brief data, July 2023), holding over 57,000 inmates (World Prison Brief data, June 2025).

Currently, there are 29 prisons across Cambodia, spread over 25 provinces. In Phnom Penh, there are two main facilities: the men’s prison and the women’s and juvenile prison. Overcrowding is a severe issue: in 2020, CC2 reached 400% of its capacity, further worsening already dire living conditions.

Children detained in these facilities face immense challenges, living in unsafe and unsanitary environments without adequate education or training. Many women live in prison with their children, who share the meager food rations of their mothers - often limited to just $0.50 per day. The lack of registration for children born in prison deprives them of access to state funds.

This situation has serious consequences for the children’s health, leading to malnutrition, isolation, lack of exposure to sunlight, and no opportunities for play or education. As a result, many suffer from rickets, motor and cognitive impairments, which can lead to severe social difficulties.

The number of project beneficiaries varies from month to month, depending on the number of mothers, children, and pregnant detainees present at CC2. In 2024, our project reached 66 children (33 girls and 33 boys), 66 mothers, and 31 pregnant women residing in the detention center, for a total of 163 direct project participants. In addition, Il Nodo works in collaboration with three female prison guards who assist our staff in monitoring the well-being of both children and detainees. 

Our project is structured around several key activities:

• Management of the Day Care Center, a daytime facility that serves as a true refuge for children living in prison. Here, children over 18 months of age can spend the day in a safe and stimulating environment, playing with peers, receiving nutritious meals, and attending to their personal hygiene before returning to their mothers.

• Implementation of the Child Development Assessment, a methodology recognized by UNICEF to evaluate the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social progress of newborns and children both at birth and upon entry into prison. In cases of developmental delays, targeted exercises are introduced—carried out by specialized staff and taught to the mothers—to ensure continuous improvement and limit negative impacts on growth.
• Monthly distribution of food supplies, hygiene and personal care products, and other essential goods.
• Monthly medical visits conducted by two experienced doctors working in partnership with Il Nodo.
• Support to the Ministry of Social Affairs in finding alternative temporary placements outside of prison for children who have exceeded the maximum age limit of three years.
• Sostegno psicologico e sensibilizzazione per le mamme detenute e donne incinte in prigione. Attraverso degli incontri individuali mensili, solitamente in concomitanza con la distribuzione di derrate alimentari, lo staff Il Nodo è autorizzato ad avere incontri individuali con ogni detenuta al fine di raccogliere informazioni aggiornate sulle condizioni sanitarie e psicologiche di mamme e bambini.