The action’s overall objective is to contribute towards the full promotion, protection and enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression (FoE) in Cambodia. Whilst enjoyment of the right to FoE is both a fundamental right in itself, and an essential means of protecting human rights and promoting democratisation, it has faced widespread restrictions in Cambodia, with civil society organisations (CSOs), human rights defenders (HRDs), community representatives, journalists and independent media institutions facing threats and harassment as a result of exercising their right.
The final beneficiaries have the action have been selected based on their increased need to exercise FoE to defend their other human rights, and/or based on the heightened levels of judicial or other harassment that they face as a result of exercising their right. First, the action includes Cambodian civil society actors including HRDs, community representatives, NGO members and journalists who are required to routinely exercise the right to FoE to defend their rights, the rights of others, and to improve access to information. As a result, they often face the most severe restrictions to enjoyment of their right. Similarly, communities in rural and remote areas and/or who face land, natural resource or other human rights violations including indigenous peoples often disproportionately face restrictions to the right to FoE and access to information, whilst relying of the right to defend against other violations. Similarly, women and women human rights defenders face additional barriers in exercising their right to FoE resulting in gender mainstreaming across the action. The recent crackdown against critical voices has fostered a culture of fear and self-censorship among these actors, in which they are increasingly reluctant to exercise their right. This barrier is compounded by a limited understanding of the right to FoE and other fundamental freedoms as well as limited capacity to mitigate and respond to risks associated with exercising the right to FoE.
These target groups define the selection of target areas[1] and communities. For example, BCV will conduct activities in 3 target villages in Beong Tuk Commune, Teuk Chhou District, Kampot and 6 target villages in Tropeang Pleang Commune, Chouk district, Kampot, which in total are home to 17,826 people (9,286 women). These communities were selected based on the land and natural rights violations that they face. Fishery communities in Beong Tuk Commune will be impacted by the major development of a tourist seaport to be developed with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which was approved in 2014 and due for construction in 2019, threatening their reliance on fishing as their livelihood. Similarly, forestry communities in Tropeang Pleang Commune are impacted by an ELC which undermines their land rights and forested areas on which they rely.
Beyond this, the Cambodian judiciary lacks independence, fails to uphold fair trial standards and is frequently used as tool to suppress the right to FoE and arbitrary harass targeted beneficiaries. Similarly, many therefore do not feel confident to seek redress when they face other forms of harassment as a result of exercising their right to FoE. As a result, the broader Cambodian public have little access to justice, and are similarly deterred from exercising their right to FoE. To improve the situation of these final beneficiaries, and to overcome specific barriers impeding enjoyment of the right to FoE, the action has four specific objectives.
[1] Activities will be conducted by ADHOC in 21 target provinces. These include Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampot, Kandal, Kratie, Koh Kong, Mondulkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rattanakiri, Svay Rieng, Preah Sihanouk, Pursat, Stung Treng, Siem Reap, Takeo and Tboung Khmoum. BCV will conduct activities in 3 target villages in Beong Tuk Commune, Teuk Chhou District, Kampot and 6 target villages in Tropeang Pleang Commune, Chouk district, Kampot.
