The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its EU-funded Ship to Shore Rights South-East Asia and PROTECT programmes, has provided critical support to Cambodian migrant workers returning from Thailand amid the recent border conflict. More than 6,700 returnees, primarily women, from provinces including Banteay Meanchey, Koh Kong, Takeo, Kampong Speu, Kampong Cham, and Siem Reap received emergency information and services to address immediate humanitarian and employment needs. The assistance was part of a rapid response following military confrontations along the Cambodia-Thailand border in late May 2025, which escalated into armed conflict by 24 July 2025, prompting the mass return of migrants.
In response to the emergency, the ILO collaborated with six civil society organizations and trade unions to provide returning migrants with essential information on local employment opportunities, labour rights, and safe migration at border checkpoints. Basic aid packages were distributed to vulnerable returnees, while local volunteers delivered reintegration counselling and guidance in communities of origin. The ILO also supported access to justice through wage claim case management and facilitated longer-term reintegration through job matching and vocational training referrals. Women returnees received peer support and psycho-social counselling to help address specific vulnerabilities.
A rapid needs assessment conducted by the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL) for 815 returning migrants across eight provinces identified immediate humanitarian needs, economic conditions, and future livelihood plans. The findings guided targeted service delivery, policy advocacy, and reinforced the understanding of both short- and long-term vulnerabilities facing returning migrant households. A major issue highlighted by the assessment was unpaid wages, with many returnees unable to collect earnings before leaving Thailand, creating financial distress upon return.
To address these challenges, the ILO worked with specialized legal assistance providers such as Legal Support for Children and Women, helping 94 migrant workers resolve complaints primarily related to unpaid wages and broker deception. Nearly US$20,000 in financial remedies has been awarded to date, with additional cases still being processed. Xiaoyan Qian, Director of the ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia, and Lao PDR, emphasized that these interventions, complementing government support, were essential for safeguarding the livelihoods and welfare of vulnerable returnees. Bryan Fornari of the EU Delegation in Cambodia highlighted the importance of these programmes in providing end-to-end support for sustainable reintegration while addressing the long-term structural vulnerabilities of Cambodian migrant workers.
