LICADHO

Business Overview

#459, Dok Por Village, Slarkram Commune, Siem Reap District, Siem Reap Province.

LICADHO is a national Cambodian human rights organization. Since its establishment in 1992, LICADHO has been at the forefront of efforts to protect civil and political and economic and social rights in Cambodia and to promote respect for them by the Cambodian government and institutions. Building on its past achievements, LICADHO continues to be an advocate for the Cambodian people and a monitor of the government through wide ranging human rights programs from its main office in Phnom Penh and 12 provincial offices.

Since its establishment in 1992 LICADHO's activities have evolved to meet the demands of the existing human rights situation in Cambodia. LICADHO's primary activities of monitoring, intervention, documentation and advocacy aim to render government officials accountable and to promote transparent and fair systems in civil society.

In response to the needs of its clients LICADHO's offices provide a safe avenue for people to seek immediate relief and assistance through various in-house services, referrals and emergency assistance programs. In particular, LICADHO has developed its provision of in-house lawyers over the last three years to assist clients who increasingly require legal representation. Similarly in response to the need for emergency relief LICADHO is increasingly providing medical assistance, vaccinations, shelter, food and clothing to victims of human rights - in particular victims of land grabbing which is becoming more prevalent in Cambodia in both size and frequency.

In the context of diminishing political freedoms and the fragmentation of the opposition, communities are becoming more empowered and active. In such an environment, one of the most effective roles an NGO can play in advancing rights and justice is to support communities' own advocacy efforts by assisting them to become more effective and visible, thus building their capacity to defend their own rights. In practice, this has meant working in partnership with community groups and networks, creating space for them to contribute and share ideas and allowing them to push the human rights agenda forward.

LICADHO continues its proven record of community-level capacity building by identifying key individuals in the communities (community activists, women, children, local authorities, village chiefs etc) who are supported in a strategic manner within a framework for cooperative action. In this way, strategic alliances and stable partnerships are formed.