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Country Profile

HIV was first detected in 1991 during serological screening of donated blood. Cambodia appears to be experiencing relative success in the fight against HIV and AIDS. After peaking at approximately 3% in 1997-98, HIV prevalence amongst the national adult population declined to 1% in 2003, and further down to 0.9% in 2005. According to National Center for HIV and AIDS, Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (NCHADS) officials, the declines can be attributed to increased condom use among and health service provision for people living with HIV and AIDS. In 2007, the estimated number of people living with HIV was 75,000, down from 120,000 in 2001. Included among these 75,000 individuals living with HIV and AIDS are 4,400 children aged 0-14. AIDS-related deaths also declined from 14,000 in 2001 to 6,900 in 2007. HIV prevalence amongst young people (15-24 year olds) was higher amongst males (0.8%) than females (0.3%).

There has also been a shift in the age composition of HIV infections. In general, women are infected at younger ages than men: generally women peak between the ages of 20-24 while men peak between the ages of 25-29. Yet, the peak of male infections shifted to the 30-34 year age group by the year 2005. Because the majority of male infections occurred in the mid 1990s, the peak age increased almost linearly over five years. The shift amongst women peaked at the 25-29 age group in 2005. Overall, the level of infection in both men and women will fall, but women’s levels will fall more gradually.

HIV prevalence in urban sectors is much higher than in rural ones. The peak of HIV infection was reached in 1998-1999, followed by a sharp decline, which was more pronounced in urban areas than in rural areas.

Vulnerability factors:

• Cambodia is one of the few countries in southeast Asia with ageneralized HIV epidemic
• Condom use is low among men in casual sex;
• Condom use is low among sex workers in noncommercial sex;
• The Law on the Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation (2008) is causing many FSWs to evade prevention services, including the successful 100% Condom Use Program, for fear of prosecution;
• Fear of spousal violence prevents many women accessing counseling and testing services in antenatal clinics (ANC).

According to the 2007 BSS, IV education programmes had reached 9 in 10 brothel-based (direct) FSWs (94%) and non-brothel based (indirect) FSWs (91%) in the 6 months preceding the survey. In terms of age, younger FSWs (< 25 years) are somewhat less likely to be exposed to HIV and AIDS education. More MSM (96%) than FSWs, however, were reached by HIV education.

During the school year 2006-2007, only slightly more than one-fourth (25.6%) of all schools in Cambodia provided life skills-based education - 26.4% of all primary schools and 21.4% of all secondary schools. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports reported that 38.4% of all schools, 39.3% of primary schools and 33% of secondary schools in 14 out of 24 provinces implemented life skills-based HIV education during this same period.