Cambodian children 'in crisis'

The Cambodian Minister for Women, Mu Sochua, has called for children's rights to be at the top of the country's political agenda.

She told the BBC that government commitment and strong legislation was needed to improve the lives of children, who make up more than half of the population.

Mu Sochua's comments came as the charity Save the Children issued a new report pointing to poverty, exploitation and lack of education as key problems for children in Cambodia, which has the highest infant mortality rate in South East Asia.

The report says 35% of Cambodian sex workers are under the age of 18 and that nearly half of them are infected with HIV.

In Phnom Penh, meanwhile, more than 200 farmers have been demonstrating outside the World Bank's offices ahead of the annual donor meeting it will hold in the Cambodian capital next month.

They are demanding that international donors force the government to implement land reforms.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service