Spanish queen visits trafficked women in Cambodia

Phnom Penh - Queen Sophia of Spain spent her first full day of an official trip to Cambodia Wednesday visiting Spanish-funded projects, including a shelter for women and girls rescued from human trafficking. Queen Sophia spent the morning at a shelter run by local non-government organization Afesip, a French acronym which translates to assisting women and children in precarious circumstances.

She chatted easily with the residents, who are learning new skills such as sewing to help them become self-sufficient and remain free of the clutches of traffickers in the future.

The monarch, wife of King Juan Carlos, has taken a personal interest in the project, which receives substantial Spanish funding. She is close to the group's co-founder, Mam Somaly, a former sex worker who now works to assist other women and children caught up in Cambodia's rampant sex trade.

The queen is scheduled to attend a gala dinner at the Royal Palace Wednesday evening hosted by Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni, at whose personal invitation she is making her Cambodian visit, scheduled to end Saturday.

Queen Sophia is expected to travel by air to the north-western city of Battambang Thursday, more than 300 kilometres from the capital, to inspect a Spanish-assisted project to clear land mines, before moving on to the northern tourist hub of Siem Reap to visit the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex.

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