Court monitoring
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Supreme-Council-of-Masgistracy_Cambodia_1-150x150.jpg)
Respect for strong values is the key to citizens’ trust in their courts.1 The international values recognized for judges are independence and impartiality, integrity, equality of treatment, diligence and competence. A judge cannot both decide a case and have a personal interest in its resolution. ...
Civil and commercial litigation
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Civil-Code_ODC-150x150.png)
Since 1993, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has been working to reform the country’s legal framework, and in particular the application of justice, to provide a clear and fixed procedural system to ensure respect for individual rights and equality before the courts.47 In theory, ...
Decentralization and deconcentration
![https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldbank/10476009745/](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Decentralization-150x150.jpg)
Decentralization and deconcentration are seen as “internally driven” reforms83, where the national government gradually delegates power, involving either administration or finance, to local governments to administer in their locality.27-year-old Sun Sovath supports his family by raising chickens, in Kampong Thom, Cambodia. Photo by World Bank Photo ...
Ministries and other national bodies
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Meeting-between-PM-and-EU_Ministries-and-other-national-bodies-150x150.jpg)
Nearly all of the ministries were established in 1995. A few ministries were only recently created in the post-2013 national election by a separation of one ministry into two. There are 28 government ministries and secretariats, and many national bodies. ...
Criminal litigation
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Criminal-code-cover_1.jpg-150x150.png)
Criminal litigation refers to the judicial procedure held before a criminal court to resolve accusations brought against a person accused of a criminal offense. As defined in the law, “The purpose of a criminal action is to examine the existence of an offense, to prove ...
Law making process
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Cambodia_National_Assembly_chamber-150x150.jpg)
The law-making process is about making and enacting new laws or revising existing laws.In the Kingdom of Cambodia, three institutions can initiate the law-making process: any member of the National Assembly, any member of the Senate and the prime minister. 177 Most of the texts ...
Parliament
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/National-Assembly-of-Cambodia-150x150.jpg)
Upon the reinstatement of the second monarchy in 1993, Cambodian citizens are the master of their destiny and sources of all power. With the introduction of the liberal democracy in the Kingdom, all Cambodians at their 18 years or over, except where it is prescribed ...
Extractive industries licensing and payments
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/192988897_1812873045562270_7670759303872825131_n-150x150.jpg)
Overview of an industrial gold mine and refinery in Okvau. Photo taken from the Ministry of Mines and Energy’s Facebook Page, taken on 11 June 2021.Mineral resources are defined as “any substance, whether in solid, liquid or gaseous form, naturally originated by a geological process ...
Law and Judiciary
![https://www.flickr.com/photos/seangheng/5197852569/](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Law-and-Judiciary-150x150.jpg)
National Assembly of Cambodia. Photo by Sorn Seang Heng, taken on 12 June 2010. Licensed under CC-BY 2.0.With a constitution written a little more than 20 years ago, the current rule of law in Cambodia is relatively new, and continues to be shaped by many ...
SDG 15 Life on land
![sdg-15](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/SDG15-150x150.png)
SDG 15 focuses on the sustainable use of terrestrial (land-based) biodiversity and ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, deserts and mountains and their interaction with freshwater systems. It aims to protect and restore their ecological function. The work includes applying sustainable land and forest management practices and ...
Forest policy and administration
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/12716540874_dbe5a1c7c8_z-150x150.jpg)
Logging truck in Mondulkiri protected forest , Cambodia. Photo by Global Water Forum, taken on 23 February 2014. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0Cambodia is deeply concerned about deforestation. While the country seeks fast economic development, forests represent a tremendous national treasure. In order to help ...
Land tenure and land titling NGOs
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/LandImage03-150x150.jpg)
There are four major international donors to land rights development and reform in Cambodia: the World Bank, Germany, Finland and Canada. Their support spans multiple programs and several years with the overall objective of improving land tenure security and promoting stable land markets. ...
Relevant ministries
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/11899868_936932843030967_5911454332790584562_n-150x150.jpg)
The Ministry of Environment is the main authority mandated to oversee environmental issues, including protected areas, environmental impact assessments, and management of natural resources. ...
National government
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/11167140793_78f353ea06_o-150x150.jpg)
Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy. According to the 1993 Constitution, although he is the head of state, the king has very limited powers compared to the prime minister, the head of the government. Unlike the 1947 Constitution, power does not come from the king but ...
Environment and natural resources policy and administration
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180322_084643-150x150.jpg)
The 7th National Consultation Workshop on the Draft of the Environment and Natural Resource Code of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Photo by Open Development Cambodia, taken on 22 March 2018. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.With 76% of its people living in rural areas,391 Cambodia holds ...
Judiciary and courts
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Suprem-Court_Punwath-150x150.png)
The judiciary is one of the three powers, together with the executive (the Government) and legislative (the National Assembly and the Senate), that constitute the state. 423 Its role is to monitor the application of the law and punish its violation. This power is vested ...
Rivers and lakes
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Tonle-Sap-lake-reflections_Mariusz-Kluzniak_January-1-2012_CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0-150x150.jpg)
Tonle Sap lake reflections. Photo from Mariusz Kluzniak. Uploaded on 1 January 2012. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0Despite severe droughts striking the country frequently, Cambodia possesses substantial water resources, mostly contained in the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap great lake and river. The lake ...
Solid waste
![](https://opendevelopmentcambodia.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Tossing-garbage_Siem-Reap__12.01.2008-150x150.jpg)
Trash collection in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. Photo taken by David Villa, taken on 12 January 2008. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 DEED.Solid waste is defined as “used things, materials, or products that remain or are generated from human daily activities and livelihood and do ...