Recently-passed, draft laws discussed among CSOs
by Khim Sambo Rothana, Communications Officer
Phnom Penh (July 09, 2014) – Around 200 representatives from NGOs, Associations, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), NGO Provincial Networks, and Informal Groups met in a full-day dialogue to discuss and share their concerns, analysis, and advocacy plans on draft laws and passed laws with important implications for civil society at the Korean Society for Service in Asia (KSSA), Phnom Penh.
With the topic of “Common Advocacy Strategies to Improved Enabling Environment in Cambodia” and co-organized by the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia (CCC), the Advocacy and Policy Institute (API), the Transparency International Cambodia (TI), and the Cambodia Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), the dialogue aims to build awareness and share analysis and concerns on the three recently-passed Fundamental Laws on the Judiciary, draft Cybercrime Law, draft Law on Associations and NGOs, draft Trade Union Law and draft Law on the Management and Use of Agricultural Land.
In his opening speech, Executive Director of Cooperation Committee for Cambodia Mr Soeung Saroeun highly appreciated and noted that today workshop could be noticed that as first initiative that we are all from different forms of CSOs and other key related stakeholders can come together to discuss on seven draft laws such as the three draft laws related to the court and judiciary, cybercrime law, NGO law, trade union law and agriculture and land using law.
He also emphasized that within these situation, CSOs plays an important role to fulfill the gaps of the government and serve the poor and vulnerable people to reduce poverty in society, to protect and promote human rights and democracy.
“CSOs play roles beyond service delivery such as strengthening education system, improving social infrastructure, empowering community, strengthening the democracy, and monitoring the government in implementing laws and regulations as well as providing comments and inputs to development of the laws and regulations, policies and strategies in Cambodia,” he said.
He believed the effort CSOs had made together today reflect our strengths in CSOs and would foster sustainable and democratic development in Cambodia. “I believe that the results from today discussion will produce a list of key strategies to deal with the current movement of the seven draft laws and we, CSOs, will produce a joint statement on common position of CSOs,” he added.
The CSO groups (1) discussed collective responses to the legislative action and agenda, which threatens to reduce citizen freedoms and civil society space to operate; (2) discussed and collected inputs for joint advocacy efforts on these laws; (3) identified prioritized actions to execute the advocacy plan; and (4) discussed and consolidated the CSO’s joint statement on the current draft laws.
In his closing remark, Mr. Pen Raksa, Program Manager of TIC, said this workshop was very successful that CSOs from different levels could join, discuss, and learn about the effects of seven draft laws. He encouraged all CSOs and stakeholders to continue sharing the jointed statement which was produced and consolidated from this workshop.
For more information on the joint statement, please CLICK HEREto download.
For more information, please contact Mr Mi Nac, Advocacy Specialist of CCC
Tel: +85512 475 741
Email: nac.mi@ccc-cambodia.org
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