International Labor Organisation
Rights-based approach to indigenous peoples’ development in Cambodia (ITP)
Update information April 2005-May 2006
This information sheet is intended to provide all relevant partners of the ILO’s Rights-Based Approach to Indigenous Peoples development in Cambodia Project, as well as other interested parties, with an overview of its activities. The update will be produced on quarterly basis from now on.
The ILO and indigenous and tribal peoples
The ILO has been working with indigenous peoples since the 1920s, aiming to promote social justice, and to improve their living and working conditions. The ILO’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169) is internationally recognized as the foremost instrument on the subject that is in force today. Convention No. 169 is a comprehensive instrument covering a range of issues pertaining to indigenous and tribal peoples, including land rights, access to natural resources, health, education, vocational training, conditions of employment and contacts across borders. The fundamental concepts of Convention No. 169 are consultation and participation, and respect for the cultures and traditions of indigenous and tribal peoples. These peoples have the right to be consulted, and to participate in policy, legislative, administrative and development processes affecting them, and to decide their own priorities for the process of development as it affects them. However, in many cases, these fundamental rights are not respected and indigenous peoples around the world are victims of severe human rights abuses as well as general social and political marginalisation. The particularly vulnerable situation of indigenous women and children has been the focus of recent international discussions under the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. It is well known that indigenous women’s access to political participation is severely limited and that they, along with the indigenous children, have very little access to fundamental services such as health care and education. The project integrates the concern for indigenous women and children as a cross-cutting issue in the components, in close cooperation with other ILO initiatives in these fields.
The Rights-Based Approach to Indigenous Peoples Development Project in Cambodia was set-up in order to promote the application of the principles contained in Convention No. 169, and is primarily focused on capacity-building for Government, indigenous peoples, and other relevant actors; and on providing technical support and advice to various organizations and government departments on issues that are of direct concern to indigenous peoples in Cambodia.
The Project began in April 2005, and its current phase will last until the end of 2007.
Development Objective
To contribute towards the development of national legislation and policies that integrate the rights, needs and priorities of indigenous and tribal peoples in Cambodia, and to build capacity to implement them.
Immediate objectives
1. Improvement of the legislative and policy environment concerning indigenous and tribal peoples in Cambodia and facilitation of the effective implementation of such policies and legislation.
2. Strengthening of indigenous and tribal peoples’ own representative organizations to play a more active role in decision-making and development processes.
The following is a brief summary of the activities that the Project has undertaken to date in Cambodia, under the objectives outlined above.
1. National Level
Supporting the development of by-laws for indigenous community recognition
The project cooperates with the Department of Local Administration (DoLA), the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD)-department of ethnic minority development (DEMD) to provide support for the process of by-law development allowing indigenous communities to obtain a legal entity status. This legal status is required for communal land titling (2001 Land Law of Cambodia). The La In village, and La Eun Kren village both have passed their by-laws on 03 – 04 May 2006. The next step is to prepare an official letter for submission to the commune councils for recognition and up to the Ministry of Interior for registration of the 2 indigenous communities.
The Project has been supporting this process through the provision of technical advice from the perspective of the ILO’s principles on indigenous peoples’ rights. It has also supported the research missions of the Department for Local Administration (DoLA) and the Department for Ethnic Minority Development (DEMD) for indigenous community organizing in other provinces such as Preah Vihear, Pursat and Koh Kong. Provincial consultation with stakeholders and a regional workshop on the IP by-law were organized so that indigenous peoples and concerned bodies participate in a proper way in the development of the by-law . The next step of the process will be in Mondulkiri (Andong kraleung village) for another pilot on communal land registration. The World Conservation Society is a direct implementer in Andong Kraleung, Mondulkiri.
A training was organized on 11-12 April 2006 at Sihanouk Ville, for 36 participants both from national and provincial levels of government. The training was intended to increase relevant knowledge and skills of government officials on the basic rights of indigenous and tribal peoples within the national and international contexts, so that they are able to gain confidence and ability to work more effectively with law and policy implementation on the issues facing the indigenous communities in Cambodia.
The training is part of a series of training initiatives for government officials. Each session will build on the knowledge gained from the last session, and a further 2 training are planned for this year.
2. Provincial and local levels
Community organizing and training of trainers (ToT)
As part of the Project’s programme of capacity-building for indigenous peoples, three provinces have been selected for community organizing activity and training of trainers.
1- Ratanakiri: ILO-ITP works through Community Forestry International (CFI), Mr. Graeme Brown as a coordinator to implement the project directly at the province. So far, Mr. Em Visoth has just been recruited as a project officer to facilitate the community organizing and ToT at the province and villages to be selected. The idea is to have 3 new communities for such purpose. The replication of the IP by-law is considered as a tool for Community Organising. The approach is through consultation and participation of the indigenous peoples.
2- Mondulkiri: ILO-ITP works through the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Keo Seima district, O Am and O Ronaa villages. Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) is the approach for the Community Organising activities in this area, the traditional committee of O Am of 5 members has been established. Two villages are targeted in this district. Two ToT with 25 trainees have been conducted for the elders, village chiefs, commune councilors, and selected IPs in the district. The replication of the IP by-law is also considered as a tool for CO - should we use the term CO when we have not explained it above?.
3- Preah Vihear: ILO-ITP works through the Buddhism for a Progressive Society (BPS) in two commune, Peuk commune, and Pra Mei. The 5 members traditional committee has been established in Peuk commune, but in Pra Mei due to some problem during the implementation, it is late to organize to elect the committee. However three ToTs have been conducted in Preah Vihear for the selected committee members and others concerned government official, commune councilors, village chiefs and other NGO staff. The replication of the IP by-law is considered as a tool for CO.
These processes are currently being evaluated, to assess their impact and sustainability, and to assess whether additional ongoing support is needed for the communities in question.
3. Internship
An additional component of the Project^s capacity-building programme is a number of internships for indigenous persons. The project so far has accepted 3 indigenous persons to be interns for a duration of at least 6 months. Ms. Hy Somaly, Phnong from Mondulkiri, began her internship in Phnom Penh in November 2005. By Sovann (Phnong from Mondulkiri) and Kanut Yeoun (Kreung in Ratanakiri) began their internship with CFI, in Ratanakiri February 2006
4. Publications from the project
- Report of the Project Launch Workshop (05-06 May 2005)
- Indigenous and Tribal Peoples and Poverty Reduction Strategies in Cambodia
(PRSP) – in English and Khmer
- Study on Achieving the Millennium Development Goals In Two Indigenous Communities in Cambodia (forthcoming).
For a range of other ILO publications on indigenous issues, please go to www.ilo.org/indigenous
For further information on any of the details provided in this news bulletin, or copies of the publications highlighted above, please contact:
Mr. Sek Sophorn, National Project Coordinator
Tel.: 023 220 817
E-mail: sophorn.iloitp@online.com.kh
We will also be happy to receive feedback on this bulletin, so it can be improved in the future for the benefit of our partners.
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