Almost all the respondents to a garment worker survey said they were indebted and had to eat less food, take another loan, or sell their land to repay their debts, according to findings released by a local union and two rights groups.
The findings were released in a report published Tuesday by rights groups Licadho and Central, and pro-worker union Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions (CATU). The survey focused on three factories affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, where operations were either fully or partially suspended.
Of the 162 respondents to the survey, 106 held a microloan which was issued by a microfinance institution or bank. On average, garment workers informed surveyors that their monthly payments for food and debt repayments exceeded their salaries.
