Advocacy in Cambodia: Increasing Democratic ... - Pact Cambodia
Advocacy in Cambodia: Increasing Democratic ... - Pact Cambodia
Advocacy in Cambodia: Increasing Democratic ... - Pact Cambodia
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advocacy agenda,<br />
objectives, and<br />
audience<br />
Increas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Democratic</strong> Space<br />
Select<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>Advocacy</strong> Agenda<br />
The advocacy campaigns reviewed <strong>in</strong> this<br />
report correspond for the most part to current<br />
problems experienced by groups of people <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>Cambodia</strong> and also relate to issues that are<br />
common to other countries. At present <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>Cambodia</strong>, concerned <strong>in</strong>ternational and local<br />
organizations, with previous experience <strong>in</strong> a<br />
sector, organize advocacy campaigns or collect<br />
data that illum<strong>in</strong>ates a problem. Less frequently,<br />
it is the people directly affected by the problem<br />
that draw attention to it, especially when the issue<br />
is not livelihood based. This section identifies the<br />
major players and activities <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong><br />
establish<strong>in</strong>g advocacy campaigns and considers<br />
the roles of different stakeholders based on the<br />
case studies.<br />
Outside Actors<br />
Outside actors<br />
refers to those who are<br />
not from an affected<br />
community. One type<br />
of outside actor<br />
<strong>in</strong>cludes <strong>in</strong>dividuals or<br />
organizations that are<br />
committed to<br />
advocat<strong>in</strong>g on behalf<br />
of an affected<br />
community because<br />
they are associated<br />
with that community<br />
(for example women<br />
who fight on behalf of<br />
abused women). The<br />
other type <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />
<strong>in</strong>dividuals or<br />
organizations that<br />
have a philosophy<br />
founded on pr<strong>in</strong>ciples of democracy promotion or<br />
assist<strong>in</strong>g the vulnerable and poor (for example<br />
many <strong>in</strong>ternational and local organizations).<br />
The labor movement <strong>in</strong> <strong>Cambodia</strong> is an<br />
example of outside actors identify<strong>in</strong>g a problem<br />
An <strong>in</strong>dication that the <strong>Cambodia</strong>n labor<br />
movement is ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g strength: garment workers<br />
organize and demonstrate <strong>in</strong> front of the Council<br />
of M<strong>in</strong>isters demand<strong>in</strong>g better work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
conditions, February 2000.<br />
and <strong>in</strong>itiat<strong>in</strong>g an advocacy campaign. In the early<br />
1990s, <strong>in</strong>ternational labor unions and<br />
organizations were aware that <strong>Cambodia</strong>’s ready<br />
supply of cheap labor and the possibility of<br />
obta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g special trade status from the U.S.<br />
government would make it an attractive<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestment for garment manufacturers. The AFL-<br />
CIO and ILO played an important role <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
labor legislation before the garment <strong>in</strong>dustry had<br />
experienced its rapid growth, with their goal be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to ensure decent work<strong>in</strong>g conditions for factory<br />
workers. As the <strong>Cambodia</strong>n labor movement<br />
cont<strong>in</strong>ues to ga<strong>in</strong> strength, the expectation is that<br />
it will be able to take the lead <strong>in</strong> protect<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
rights of workers while advocacy efforts will take<br />
on a more grassroots aspect <strong>in</strong>itiated by the<br />
workers themselves.<br />
After <strong>Cambodia</strong><br />
signed the UN<br />
Convention on the<br />
Rights of the Child,<br />
Save the Children<br />
Norway (then Redd<br />
Barna) <strong>in</strong>itiated an<br />
effort to br<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>terested groups<br />
together to monitor<br />
government progress<br />
<strong>in</strong> conform<strong>in</strong>g to the<br />
Convention. This<br />
resulted <strong>in</strong> a network<br />
that has been meet<strong>in</strong>g<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce 1995 and which<br />
now prepares a fouryear<br />
advocacy plan,<br />
perhaps the first<br />
network to do so.<br />
A l t h o u g h<br />
domestic violence has<br />
been a problem for a<br />
long time <strong>in</strong> <strong>Cambodia</strong>, the topic was not discussed<br />
openly until a concerned outside actor <strong>in</strong>itiated a<br />
study of the problem <strong>in</strong> 1994. The f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs of the<br />
study and of two subsequent studies were<br />
conv<strong>in</strong>c<strong>in</strong>g enough to launch an entire movement.<br />
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