Access to Essential Needs and Services for Children – Orphans and Poverty Status

This study used household survey data from Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam to examine the situation of orphans relative to children in poverty regarding access to essential needs and services, focusing on basic material needs and education outcomes. This study made use of summary statistics and multivariate regression analysis to determine whether poverty accounts for the education gap between orphans and non-orphans, or whether other factors also contribute to the lower education outcomes of orphans. A similar analysis was done on children’s possession of basic materials – namely a blanket, a pair of shoes and two sets of clothes - which exemplify the capacity of families to protect and care for children.