Cambodia boosts dispute resolution capacity with ILO support

BANGKOK (ILO News) – Cambodia is taking important steps to strengthen workplace dispute resolution, aiming to improve institutional performance and contribute to labour market stability with the support of the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme (I-KORP).

I-KORP and the National Institute of Labour (NIL), under the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT), organised a four-day training workshop on “Strengthening Constituents’ Capacities for Workplace Dispute Resolution” at the National Technical Training Institute (NTTI), from 16 to 19 September 2025.

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© ILO

The workshop, conducted by the ILO and the Korea Labor Institute (KLI), brought together 40 representatives from MLVT, trade unions and employers’ organizations, including 14 women representatives. It aimed to enhance capacity among key stakeholders for participatory workplace dispute resolution, focusing on social dialogue, negotiations and collective bargaining.

Speaking at the event, Shin Hochul, Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) of the I-KORP, said: " Through this training, we hope conflicts can be resolved through constructive dialogue rather than confrontation, that all social partners’ voices are respected, and that industrial relations contribute to national development and social justice in Cambodia."

Som Chamnan, Secretary of State of MLVT, said: "Building the capacity of constituents to prevent and manage disputes constructively is essential for fostering better working environments, enhanced productivity, enterprise performance and broader social stability. This initiative underscores our commitment to supporting Cambodia in creating functional and sustainable internal grievance mechanisms."

Participants reviewed the existing situation and held discussions on improving policies, processes and practices for labour dispute prevention and resolution, including promoting collective bargaining as a dispute resolution mechanism.

Additionally, participants were trained on a broad range of topics, including fundamental ILO principles for dispute prevention and resolution, approaches to arbitrating labour disputes in Cambodia, essentials of grievance policies and the development of enterprise-level grievance-handling mechanisms. Practical dispute settlement guidelines, tools, and best practices were also shared, with successful models from other countries, particularly Korea, serving as key references for effective dispute resolution systems.

During the workshop period, the I-KORP also held meetings with MLVT to better understand the Cambodian Government’s needs and to reaffirm the commitment of both parties to ongoing collaboration.

“Through this event and meeting, we have once again confirmed the Cambodian government's active commitment to advancing social justice and promoting decent work. The ILO-Korea Partnership Programme plans to actively support Cambodia as much as possible under the support of the Korean government," said Shin Hochul.

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© ILO