LIBRARY

6 January 2017

This audio book contains the edited highlights of two radio shows exploring how the Cambodian justice system responds to cases of rape. The shows were originally broadcast during the 2016 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence Campaign. In the two clips, a young rape victim and the father of a rape victim describe their experiences of the Cambodian justice system and there is a discussion of the main findings of LICADHO’s most recent report on rape “Getting Away With It – 2016 Update” which reviews the outcomes of cases investigated by LICADHO in 2015.

2 December 2016

On the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, LICADHO publishes its report “Built on Slavery: Debt Bondage and Child Labour in Cambodia’s Brick Factories” which presents evidence of the widespread use of contemporary forms of slavery in Cambodia’s brick manufacturing industry. It finds that despite the existence of comprehensive and long-standing legislation criminalizing the use of debt bondage and prohibiting child labour, competent authorities are making no efforts to eradicate them and are in fact enabling their survival.

2 December 2016

To accompany publication of the report “Built on Slavery: Debt Bondage and Child Labour in Cambodia’s Brick Factories” LICADHO is releasing this photo album which shows the different elements of the brick-making process and the living and working conditions of the adults and children who make the bricks.

28 November 2016

A year ago, to mark the 2015 16 Days Against Gender Based Violence campaign, LICADHO published a report Getting Away With It: The Treatment of Rape in Cambodia’s Justice System. The report was based on cases investigated by LICADHO in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and found that there were grave and systemic flaws in how rape cases are prosecuted in Cambodia and as a result, a disturbingly low number of convictions. There were several reasons for this: the extensive use of financial compensation to settle cases, widespread corruption amongst the police and the judiciary, poor understanding and application of the law by judges, and the prevalence of discriminatory attitudes towards women.

7 March 2016

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. To mark the event LICADHO is releasing a new audio book and summary audio clip titled Getting Away With It: The Treatment of Rape in Cambodia’s Justice System. Both the book and the summary present evidence of the immense failure of the Cambodian justice system to properly investigate and prosecute cases of rape involving women and children. They provide details of multiple systemic flaws – corruption, discriminatory attitudes towards women and girls, misinterpretation of the law, and lack of resources – which, together, mean that many perpetrators of rape receive only very lenient punishment or go completely unpunished.

11 January 2016

This audio book contains the edited highlights of a radio show that was originally broadcast during the 2015 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The show, titled "Unite against Impunity for Rape in Cambodia" accompanied publication of the report "Getting Away With It: The Treatment of Rape in Cambodia's Justice System" and includes a discussion of the main findings and recommendations of the report as well as an interview with the father of a rape victim.

29 November 2015

Today, to mark the global campaign 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which began on November 25 and runs until December 10, LICADHO is publishing a new report Getting Away With It: The Treatment of Rape in Cambodia’s Justice System. The report presents evidence of the immense failure of the Cambodian justice system to properly investigate and prosecute cases of rape involving women and children. It provides details of multiple systemic flaws – corruption, discriminatory attitudes towards women and girls, misinterpretation of the law, and lack of resources – which, together, mean that many perpetrators of rape receive only very lenient punishment or go completely unpunished.

20 November 2015

Today marks the 26th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The Cambodian government ratified the CRC on October 15, 1992, thus guaranteeing the protection and promotion of the four main baskets of rights of children in Cambodia: “the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.”

In the spirit of the CRC, the Child Protection Group (CPG) network, with support from LICADHO, is releasing a storybook video: “The Last Day of Lang Reng.” This fictional work voices the concerns of young Cambodians regarding the rapid deforestation and environmental destruction they see taking place across their country.

12 August 2015

This morning, about 200 youths aged 18-25 celebrated International Youth Day in Siem Reap with a bike ride, balloon release and public forum under the theme ‘Youth are important for development’.

About 200 more children joined the youths for the forum which also included traditional dancing, games and music. The question-and-answer session of the event revealed that the most common concerns among those present are poverty and economic opportunities, education and corruption in the education system, and youth engagement in such political, social and economic issues. Today's event was organised by about 10 youth groups from different districts and organisations across Siem Reap.

12 August 2015

In response to the article "Provincial cop ‘still on job’ despite sentencing" (Phnom Penh Post, 11 August 2015), LICADHO commends Mr Yun Bunly for his remarkable courage and principle in pursuing the case against Korng Sophat, the police officer convicted of raping his 11-year old daughter in 2010. Immediately after committing the crime, Sophat offered Mr Bunly and his family a sizeable sum of money to drop the complaint against him. Instead the family chose to pursue the case through the courts but five years later they have been woefully failed by Cambodia’s justice system.

12 June 2015

To commemorate June 12 World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) 2015, LICADHO is publishing personal testimonies of five children and one adult who work in Cambodian brick factories.

These testimonies provide a glimpse into brick factory child labour, which is considered to be one of the worst forms of child labour, and demonstrate the negative effects of brick factory child labour on children.

1 June 2015

In the lead-up to June 1st, International Children’s Day, LICADHO is releasing a music video, “The Bird of First June,” advocating respect for the four baskets of children’s rights, as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): the right to survival, the right to protection, the right to development, and the right to participation. The video was conceptualized by youth Child Protection Group members in Phnom Penh, and the song was sung over a popular local soundtrack. The youth were inspired to make the video to raise awareness amongst children of their basic rights, and to encourage adults to take care of children.

31 May 2015

LICADHO’s Children’s Rights Office (CRO), in partnership with the Child Protection Group (CPG) network, will celebrate International Children’s Day 2015 in several locations. On 28 May, early celebrations took place in Dangkor Middle School, Phnom Penh. On 1 June, the official date of International Children’s Day, celebrations will take place in the morning (8:30am-11:00am) at Sangkat Norkor Thom, Siem Reap, Sal Mohorsrop Theater, Koh Kong, and at Build Bright University in Sihanoukville, Preah Sihanouk. At these locations, the CRO and CPGs will organize public forums and interactive theatre performances concerning child rights, and help distribute social assistance packages to the families of vulnerable children and youth. Approximately 2,350 people are expected to attend the celebrations.

18 March 2015

Following the recent release of 22 women from prison, LICADHO welcomes news that the Ministries of Justice and Interior will discuss longer term solutions to ensuring the welfare of children whose mothers face prison sentences.

LICADHO has recently conducted detailed research into the arrest and sentencing of mothers with dependent children and has found that the welfare of the child is rarely taken into account when a mother is sent to pre-trial detention or at sentencing. Many women interviewed told LICADHO that judges did not even ask them if they had children or not before sending them to prison.

20 November 2014

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). On October 15, 1992, the Cambodian government ratified the CRC, thus pledging to protect and promote four fundamental rights of children everywhere: “the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life”.

On this day, LICADHO releases a video of Seng Sokhim, a 16 year old girl who actively promotes and protects the rights of children in her community in Bak Keng commune, Phnom Penh. Sokhim is part of LICADHO's Child Protection Groups (CPGs) network that operates on the grassroots level to empower children, youths, and adults to be children's rights advocates.

12 August 2014

On August 12 International Youth Day, LICADHO is releasing profiles of youths who are part of our Child Protection Groups (CPGs) network, and actively promote child rights in their respective communities. LICADHO works with 73 CPGs, six of which represent youth and comprise 81 members across four target areas: Phnom Penh/Kandal, Preah Sihanouk, Koh Kong, and Siem Reap. This year, some youth CPG members from Phnom Penh/Kandal participated in International Youth Day celebrations in Phnom Penh organized by other youth networks. The theme was, “Youth Social Movement and Change.” The group marched from Freedom Park to the National Assembly where youth CPG members submitted a statement calling on the government to promote child rights

11 June 2014

LICADHO will mark World Day Against Child Labour 2014 by organizing community events in two locations: Sangkat Dang Tung, Koh Kong; and Stung Haov district, Preah Sihanouk. The aim of these events is to raise awareness of child labour in various sectors and to encourage communities to raise critical questions, and offer suggestions to local authorities on how to end child labour. World Day Against Child Labour officially falls on June 12.

10 June 2014

In the lead-up to World Day Against Child Labour, LICADHO is releasing a two-part digital photo essay series highlighting linkages between child labour and issues such as poverty, school drop-out rates and land eviction. The second video looks into the life of Kompieng , 16, who dropped out of school and started doing odd jobs to help support her family.

9 June 2014

In the lead-up to World Day Against Child Labour, LICADHO is releasing a two-part digital photo essay series highlighting linkages between child labour and issues such as poverty, school drop-out rates and land eviction. The first video looks into the life of Prum Dina, 14, who when she was 12 dropped out of school to work at a shoe factory.

19 December 2013

Sothea, a child laborer, has spent most of his 16 years living and working in a brick factory compound in Ba Kaing Commune. He is one of a shockingly high number of children in Cambodia aged 5-17 who work as laborers and receive little to no compensation. Despite facing limited opportunities and resources, Sothea is determined to make a better life for himself and for his family. The first and most important step, he says, is getting a good education.