UNICEF and OCIC Partner to Invest in the Future of Cambodia’s Children and Youth

PHNOM PENH, 24 August 2026 – UNICEF and the Overseas Cambodian InvestmentCorporation (OCIC) Group today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) tostrengthen collaboration in advancing the rights and well-being of children andyoung people across Cambodia. The multi-year partnership,the first-ever UNICEF in Cambodia has signed with a conglomerate, aims toleverage the strengths of both organizations to create lasting, positive impactfor children, families, and communities.

The MoU was signed by Okhna Dr. Carolyne Pung, ViceChairperson of OCIC, and Ms. Maha Damaj, UNICEF Representative-Designate toCambodia, marking a new chapter in the two organizations’ collaboration.Thierry Tea, Vice-President of OCIC, and Ms. Moiltmaa Sarantuya, PartnershipsSpecialist at UNICEF Cambodia, witnessed the signing.

Cambodia has made important gains in advancing children's rights in recent decades, yet many children and young people stillface challenges in accessing quality education, healthcare, protection, and equitableopportunities to build skills and contribute to their communities.

“This partnership gives us a framework to turn ourcommitment into action, from vocational training, mentoring and internshippathways for young people, to strengthening family-friendly policies across ouroperations. It also opens the door to supporting child-centred andclimate-related initiatives.” said Dr. Carolyne Pung, Vice Chairperson of OCIC.“Working alongside UNICEF, we can reach further, share our resources andexpertise, and create lasting impact for children and young people acrossCambodia.”

Through the agreement, UNICEF and OCIC will worktogether to promote child rights within the business sector and widercommunity, support access to quality social services, and explore innovativeinitiatives that help children and young people reach their full potential,especially the most vulnerable, ensuring that development benefits all childrenand families. The agreement also outlines a commitment to the core values ofthe Children’s Rights and Business Principles, a framework developed by UNICEF for the privatesector to understand and address the impact of business on the rights andwell-being of children.

The collaboration will focus on several key areas,including raising awareness of children's rights and responsible businesspractices, supporting education and youth empowerment initiatives, promotingfamily-friendly workplace policies and child‑friendly products and services, and encouraging greater corporate engagement inadvancing climate-resilient services for children. The partnership will alsoexplore opportunities to strengthen vocational training and pathways for youngpeople, helping equip them with 21st-century skills for the futureworld of work.

“We are excited to build on our official collaborationwith UNICEF’s Generation Future programme and help create more opportunitiesfor young people in Cambodia,” said Thierry Tea, Vice-President of OCIC. “Lastyear, I had the opportunity to mentor a group of young students from theprogramme over several months. Our teams also had the opportunity to supportUNICEF by hosting their hackathon at Connexion Hub in Koh Pich. Seeing thecreativity, ambition, and potential of these young talents firsthand reinforcedmy belief that they can achieve extraordinary things when they are given theright framework, the right support, and the right platform. I look forward tocontinuing to build on that experience and further strengthening ourcollaboration through this new partnership.”

As part of the partnership, UNICEF will providetechnical expertise, evidence, and tools to support the integration of childrights principles into corporate policies and practices. OCIC will promotechildren's rights through its business networks while advancing responsiblebusiness practices across its operations.