In fragile states, social protection programmes are often a kaleidoscope of projects financed and implemented by a variety of donors, government agencies and NGOs. Such an environment does not foster a strong sense of ownership by beneficiaries, which weakens the likelihood of sustainability in the absence of donor interest or government commitment. Loosening demand-side constraints may provide incentive to sustain social progress, but it is unclear what political or social structures can effectively facilitate voice in fragile states. Cambodia’s unusual social protection trajectory offers some insight by presenting an example where labour rights has made substantial progress while all other protections lag. We assess whether the changed external environment might facilitate activism in other areas of social protection. Our analysis suggests that using an island of excellence to build institutions that open political space for activism can be a successful strategy in states where governments are unable or unwilling to provide comprehensive social protection systems.

This report presents the findings of a nationwide, population-based survey undertaken by the Human Rights Center’s Initiative on Vulnerable in Cambodia. The survey sought to capture opinions and attitudes about accountability, social reconstruction, and the ECCC. Teams of interviewers used a structured questionnaire to interview 1,000 Cambodians 18 years old or older, randomly selecting 125 communes out of 1,621 using systematic random sampling proportionate to population size. Two villages were randomly selected from each commune, resulting in a sample size of 250 villages. Analysis of the report concluded with specific recommendations of ways in which the ECCC, Cambodian judicial and administrative institutions, civil society, and the international community can ensure that Cambodians become engaged participants in—and not merely auxiliaries to—the work of the court.

The Center for Social Development initiated the research project entitled “The Impact of and Attitudes Towards Corruption” in order to document and analyze corrupt practices experienced by ordinary citizens when they encounter civil servants in local bureaucracies and institutions. The study aims to give voice to ordinary Cambodians in the debate on corruption in the country. The study consists of qualitative and quantitative components. This report describes findings from qualitative research in two provinces.

The right to a hearing before an independent and impartial court is a cornerstone of fair trial practice in both international and domestic law. An independent and impartial court or tribunal is a requirement of customary international law, as well as of all general universal and regional human rights instruments. Domestic legal systems contain similar requirements; most relevant to the ECCC is the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia, which provides that the judiciary “shall be an independent power” that “shall guarantee and uphold impartiality and protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens.” In accordance with these standards, ECCC law has incorporated independence and impartiality requirements. This memo will address the fair trial implications of administrative and judicial corruption if members of the Office of Administration and judges at the ECCC engage in a kickback system in exchange for employment.

This paper aims at informing these discussions about an integrated and inclusive legal aid framework through the following objectives: (1) updating the numbers of available (fulltime) legal aid lawyers in Cambodia, since it is assumed that there have been changes since the 2006 survey; (2) identifying the presence of legal aid lawyers outside the capital in the provinces and corresponding regional gaps in the provision of services; (3) providing an indication about the capacity of these legal aid providers (i.e. the number of cases they are dealing with); and (4) identifying the thematic specialization of existing legal aid providers (i.e. whether they focus on general legal aid or on specific target groups). In addition, the question was asked at the end of each interview about the respondents’ opinion on what needs to be done to improve the situation of legal aid services in Cambodia. Fact sheets in annex summarize key features of each interviewed legal aid providers.