The well-being of women and children in Cambodia has improved vastly in the past 15 years but still lags internationally, according to a report released by the nonprofit organisation Save the Children this week.

Cambodia ranked 132 out of 178 countries in the organisation’s 15th annual Mothers’ Index. Despite the low score, however, the country was praised for improvements.

“Since 2000, Cambodia has managed to reduce both maternal and child mortality by 64 per cent, add three years to children’s expected years of schooling, and almost tripled the share of seats held by women in the lower house of parliament.”

But opposition lawmaker-elect Mu Sochua said that more needs to be done.

“The report fails to say that 50 per cent of the children drop out of school by grade 6 and that only 40 per cent of the children are functionally literate,” she said by email. She added that elected females from the ruling party “do not stand up for women’s issues”.