Improvements in court administration and case management are imperative if Cambodia is to have a fair and efficient judicial system. Increased efficiency will contribute to improved human rights protection. Increased transparency will the make the justice system more understandable and more accessible for the ordinary citizen.

EWMI is working with the General Inspectorate for Judicial Affairs of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to help it address its new focus on court administration. EWMI has developed an exhibits management directive at the General Inspectorate’s request that complies with the recently adopted Criminal Procedural Code. EWMI has also worked as part of the Model Court Team, comprised of the MoJ, the Council of Legal and Judicial Reform and multiple donors, to complete a Five Year Strategic Plan and draft Activity Plans for four selected model courts - Phnom Penh, Kandal, Kampong Cham, and Banteay Meanchey. EWMI has worked with the four courts to prepare their 2010 program budgets for submission to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

EWMI is also continuing its innovative support to key Ministry of Interior (MoI) departments. EWMI has continued its assistance to the MoI Legislation Council-Civil Society Working Group designed to improve public understanding of possession rights under the Land Law. EWMI has arranged for more than 10,000 copies of a possession rights poster developed by the Working Group to be printed and has begun distribution of the poster; the MoI has requested that one of the posters be placed in every village in Cambodia, and the NGOs and NGO networks that have already received the poster have requested hundreds of additional copies. EWMI is also developing training for the MoI General Inspectorate staff to receive training on the Organic Law in order to prepare for its new responsibility of monitoring the compliance of provincial officials with the provisions of the Organic Law.