Social development
Civil society
Gov’t ‘clarifies’ alleged rights abuses for IPU
A delegation from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) – a transnational organisation of lawmakers – met with lawmakers, several ministries and the UNHCR over the past two days to discuss concerns about the beating of two opposition lawmakers last October as well as the jailing of ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/govt-clarifies-alleged-rights-abuses-ipu
Report examines KRT legacy
As parties prepare for Case 002/01 appeal hearings, set to resume on Tuesday, a new report by the Open Society Justice Initiative examines the legacy of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, identifying political interference and insufficient outreach as the court’s primary shortcomings. ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/report-examines-krt-legacy
PM says Facebook good for governance
Responding yesterday to criticism calling the Cambodian government a “Government of Facebook,” in which its officials are paid to play on the popular social media site, Prime Minister Hun Sen said that his was in fact an E-government. ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21315/pm-says-facebook-good-for-governance/
Thai company’s return to sugar group challenged by NGOs
Three local NGOs have filed a complaint with international sugar industry group Bonsucro for readmitting Thai sugar giant Mitr Phol even though thousands of families forced off the company’s former plantations in Oddar Meanchey province have yet to be fully compensated. ...
Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/thai-companys-return-to-sugar-group-challenged-by-ngos-107852/
Officials dispute transparency international’s corruption index
Cambodia scored very poorly on a perceived corruption index, put out each year by Transparency International, but a government spokesman says the report doesn’t reflect the “effort” the government has put into combating the practice. ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/officials-dispute-transparency-international-corruption-index/3166483.html
Letter urges Kerry to pressure government on human rights
Ahead of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s planned visit to Cambodia this week, local and international NGOs have urged Mr. Kerry not to sign any new bilateral agreements unless Cambodia vows to improve its human rights and democracy efforts. ...
Peter Ford
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/letter-urges-kerry-to-pressure-government-on-human-rights-106254/
Adhoc to lead company forestry license review
In a move to crack down on future illegal logging, the government has created a special Commission, led by human rights group Adhoc, which will review and cancel any licenses of companies that violate forestry laws. ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/20362/adhoc-to-lead-company-forestry-license-review/
PP gov accuses NGOs of fomenting unrest
Phnom Penh Municipal Governor Pa Socheatvong yesterday lashed out at civil society groups he blamed for instigating protests aimed at destabilising the government. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pp-gov-accuses-ngos-fomenting-unrest
NGO under scrutiny has history of extortion
The environmental NGO at the center of an extortion scandal in Siem Reap province has a track record of using its employees as racketeers in order to enrich itself, according to officials who have previously dealt with the organization. ...
Aun Pheap
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ngo-under-scrutiny-has-history-of-extortion-103250/
NGO cancels prison visit over government restrictions
Rights group Licadho says it is canceling its annual prison visits on international Human Rights Day, which this year falls on Thursday, for the first time in two decades in protest over what it says are new government restrictions. ...
Zsombor Peter and Mech Dara
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ngo-cancels-prison-visit-over-government-restrictions-102212/
Group aims to teach youth about workers rights
Young people in Cambodia are often taken advantage of by factories because of their inexperience and lack of understanding about labor rights, but the Youth Resource Development Program (YRDP) is trying to change that by educating young people on unions and dispute management in the ...
Chea Takihiro
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/18067/group-aims-to-teach-youth-about-workers-rights/
Trying to stop ‘the wind of freedom’ from reaching Cambodia
The victory of Aung San Suu Kyi’s movement in Burma after years of military rule and repression is already starting to unnerve autocrats nearby. Last week, Sam Rainsy, an opposition leader in Cambodia, declared that the democrats’ “resounding” victory “has created panic among the last ...
Rights group calls for activists’ release
International rights groups issued an “urgent appeal” this week for the release of three environmental activists in Koh Kong province imprisoned in August over their anti-sand dredging activities. ...
Alice Cuddy
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rights-group-calls-activists-release
Laws forcing civil society donors to adapt
Legal restrictions on funding for civil-society – like Cambodia’s much-maligned NGO Law – are on the rise globally, a report by the Carnegie International Endowment for Peace has warned, putting international donors in the position of having to adapt to a backlash against democracy promotion. ...
Zoe Holman
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/laws-forcing-civil-society-donors-adapt
ADB, Cambodia launch second Asia Women Leaders Program
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, is holding a second Asia Women Leadership Program (AWLP) event starting today to help senior women government officials develop their potential to become future leaders. ...
The FINANCIAL News Staff
http://finchannel.com/index.php/business/item/51339-adb-cambodia-launch-second-asia-women-leaders-program
UN rights office voices concern at clampdown on political activism in Cambodia
The United Nations human rights office expressed concern today over a worsening climate for opposition politicians and activists in Cambodia, and stressed that the right to peaceful assembly and to freedom of expression belongs to all. ...
Big News Network Staff
http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/238122383/un-rights-office-voices-concern-at-clampdown-on-political-activism-in-cambodia
UNICEF steps in to help disabled
UNICEF yesterday awarded $400,000 to six NGOs to work with disabled people around the country through a series of community based programs. ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/17210/unicef-steps-in-to-help-disabled/
NGO’s democracy training session shut down
A team of security officials led by a commune chief descended on a private home in rural Koh Kong province on Friday morning to prevent a group of students and activists from holding a democracy training session, an activist and officials said. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ngos-democracy-training-session-shut-down-98181/
Face to face with Cambodia’s HIV fighters
Cambodia’s efforts in HIV prevention and treatment have shown significant results in the past ten years and the government is now setting the bar even higher. Last December, Prime Minister Hun Sen committed to stopping new HIV infections by 2020. ...
Giovanni Ortolani, Paola Di Bella
http://www.scidev.net/global/hiv-aids/multimedia/cambodia-hiv-fighters-drugs.html
Program builds mobile app skills for Cambodian coders
After graduating from Setec Institute in Phnom Penh in 2014 with a degree in information technology, Chhit Chanmony, 23, is confident in her ability to build a website using various scripts. ...
Janelle Retka
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/program%E2%80%88builds-mobile-app-skills-for-cambodian-coders-98080/
Activist’s arrest could come soon, judge says
The investigating judge involved in ongoing legal proceedings against human rights activist Ny Chakrya has said a warrant for the man’s arrest is under consideration after Chakrya failed to respond to a subpoena to appear in court yesterday. However, Chakrya’s employer, rights group Adhoc, said ...
Pech Sotheary and Charles Parkinson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/activists-arrest-could-come-soon-judge-says
NGO gets UNICEF aid for speech therapy training
In an effort to address speech and communication disorders, which affect about one in 25 people countrywide, Unicef Cambodia awarded the organization OIC: The Cambodia Project a $42,000 grant on Wednesday to provide informal speech therapy training to Cambodians. ...
Janelle Retka
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ngo-gets-unicef-aid-for-speech-therapy-training-97450/
Cambodian health worker blamed in HIV spread will be tried next week
An unlicensed health worker charged in Cambodia with murder and other crimes after allegedly causing a mass HIV infection by treating patients with reused needles will be brought to trial next week, sources said. ...
Hum Chamroeum
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/tried-10152015165549.html
International organization condemns ‘harassment’ of rights work
The Geneva-based Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders has appealed to the public to urge Cambodian authorities to end their “judicial harassment” of prominent human rights advocate Ny Chakrya, who stands charged with public defamation and attempting to coerce court officials. ...
Kang Sothear and Taylor O'Connell
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/international-organization-condemns-harassment-of-rights-work-97165/