Child labor has fallen in Cambodia’s garment factories. A survey of almost 500 licensed garment export factories found 10 cases of child labor, down from 74 in 2014. However, there are concerns that children turned away from factory jobs may be working elsewhere, including homes where garments are produced by subcontractors.

The subcontract is a big, unknown area in Cambodia. Child labor usually involves workers under the age of 15, who are presented as much older. Child workers are often from families who have had to migrate because climate change has hit their harvests.

Companies are facing growing scrutiny to ensure their operations are slave-free as rising demand for cheap clothing fuels labor exploitation in factories worldwide. Cambodia, under fire for its human rights record, plans to increase the monthly minimum wage in the textile sector in January. A brand like H&M, for instance, says wages in Cambodian factories producing its clothing are 24 per cent higher than the minimum.

Cambodia’s garment industry is the largest employer in the country. About 40 per cent of its GDP comes from garment exports and the sector employs more than 800,000 workers. Cambodian factories supply global brands including Gap, H&M, Nike, Puma and Adidas.