Article: " Cambodia’s low rate of unemployment doesn’t tell whole story"

"Cambodia continues to boast a remarkably low unemployment rate of 0.2 percent, according to a new global employment report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) – but analysts warn the number doesn’t tell the entire story."The report states that Southeast Asian countries are creating many new jobs but the jobs are very low quality and do not provide sufficient earnings for individuals to live off of."A lot of people in Cambodia are doing a few hours of work during the week, such as selling something on the street, but in the meantime they’re looking for another job, another source of income,” Elder said. “So in a sense they’re employed and unemployed at the same time.”Many economists are now using the term "underemployed" to describe the individuals working the "vulnerable" jobs throughout the region."Many people here have more than one job because the wages are too low,” Conklin said, adding that it is common to see women working as store vendors during the day and at hostess bars or KTVs at night."Free To Shine strongly believes that in order to improve job opportunities, education must be prioritized and widely available. To stop the vicious cycle of poverty and vulnerable jobs, we must encourage everyone to attend and finish school in order to access the jobs that will support and improve their futures.Full Article: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodias-low-rate-unemployment-doesnt-tell-whole-story-report-findsSource: The Phnom Penh PostDate: January 26, 2018