LICADHO: Draft law on Association& NGOs Cambodian civil society under threat

The recently-released draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations confirms long-standing fears that the government’s desire for such a law is in order to control, rather than promote and strengthen, civil society. The draft law – which falls far short of meeting international standards for laws on the non-profit sector – constitutes the most serious threat to civil society in Cambodia in years. While this threat may appear to be most acute for human rights defenders, it has serious negative implications for community development and democratic participation on a broader scale.

Upon cursory examination, the draft law might appear to be positive in that it omits some
draconian provisions which had been mooted by the government in the past. However, the law remains – in letter and in spirit – extremely pernicious to civil society.

Read full text from LICADHO…

Posted in Human Right Issue

International Labour Day in Phnom Penh in year 2010

Posted in Workers and Union Right

CFSWF working to promote right of beer promotion girl in Cambodia

After the integration of Cambodian civil war was ended, Cambodian is one a country being attracted investments and tourism. Beside the investment of garment industry, construction, hotel and agriculture, we observed there are more beer companies have been producing and operating their products in Cambodia market for restaurants, beer garden and other thousand of entertainment clubs through out the country. In that case we also have seen that those beer companies have been recruiting young girls to promoter their products.

During the global financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009, 106 garment factories have been closed down, retrenching some 45,000 workers. Many of them are reported to have got jobs at restaurants, karaokes, and bars. Almost all of them are working as informal workers with 3 months renewable contracts. These informal entertainment workers are vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation and sexual harassment at workplace, and they are also exposed to HIV/AIDS, often being a source of its prevalence. Hence, there is the need for institutionalizing the beer promotion workers to understand them on their rights and entitlements and promote decent work for them.

With poverty reason and low knowledge including lack of job market in Cambodia, some of those young Khmer women decided to work as beer promotion worker at night time by restaurants, beer gardens and other entertainment clubs in Phnom Penh city and other gathering areas in the country.

From 2006 Cambodian Food and Services Worker Federations (CFSWF) had close cooperation and support with APHEDA and ILO Workers Education Programme has been organising and empowerment to beer promotion workers and providing training courses, arising awareness on worker’s rights and occupational health and safety at workplace in area of alcohol, drug, sexual harassment, STIs/HIV/AIDS and organizing union. Up to now, there are 390 of beer of 1,050 women beer workers from 4 main beer companies in Phnom Penh city had been organised as unions.

However, it is observed that the organising work is limited, as seen the actual number of beer promoters in whole country. There are estimated 4,000 beer promotion women workers. Therefore CFSWF is trying hard to organise their resources to enforce the organising of beer promotion worker enable them to have opportunity in order to raise their daily rights, decent work and decent living

Posted in Women Issue, Workers and Union Right | Tagged , ,

TV talk show on International Human Right Day Celebration in Cambodia

Posted in Workers and Union Right