NGO Forum on Cambodia

Partner Since: 2005
Project Title: Indigenous Minority Rights Project
Project Area: Phnom Penh, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng, Kratie, Kampong Thom, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Kampong Speu
Summary: The project is part of the Forum’s Land and Livelihoods Program. It aims to ensure that the capacity of indigenous people to advocate for their own rights is strengthened and to ensure that the concerns of indigenous people are heard and acted upon.
  • Indigenous people's organizations and networks organized into a national network and become more effective in representing indigenous people's rights to land and forest resources, and take steps to protect and register their lands.
  • The national network of NGOs working on indigenous issues is strengthened and their advocacy is supported by relevant research.
  • Stakeholders and others are informed about the importance of indigenous land and forestry issues through advocacy, publicity and awareness raising activities.

About the Organization: The NGO Forum is made up of local and international non-governmental organizations grounded in their experience of humanitarian and development assistance to Cambodia. The NGO Forum exists for information-sharing, debate and advocacy on priority issues affecting Cambodia’s development. The NGO Forum has an important role to highlight the impact of development processes and economic, social and political changes on Cambodians.
NGO Forum’s vision is that Cambodia will have a well-informed and empowered population participating in a strong and vibrant civil society, to the benefit of poor and vulnerable people in Cambodia. The NGO FORUM believes in working together for Economic and social justice; Respect for human rights and democracy; Gender equality; Peace and non-violence; Sustainable use of natural resources; Respect for cultural diversity; and Development with equity.
The goal of the NGO Forum is that the rights of poor and vulnerable groups in Cambodia are recognized and supported by the policies and practices of Cambodia’s government and donors, and by the wider community.
History
The NGO Forum on Cambodia had its beginnings in the late 1980s. Since then, the NGO Forum has continued to evolve in response to changing external conditions. Following the full restoration of development aid in 1993, the NGO Forum became more Cambodian based. It began to work on a broader range of issues, such as an international ban on land mines, creation of a permanent tribunal for crimes against humanity, and concerns about the impacts of development aid. It appointed a Representative in 1995. Although based in Phnom Penh and focusing increasingly on domestic advocacy issues, the NGO Forum was still dominated by expatriates. An international Steering Committee was retained until 1996, after which the local Management Committee became the chief decision making body.
From 1997 to 2001, the NGO Forum became much more Cambodian in character, with all meetings either translated or held solely in Khmer and with Cambodians playing the dominant role in most NGO Forum activities. This reflected the growing level of responsibility taken by Cambodians in both local and international NGOs. A five-year Strategic Plan, adopted in 1999, reflected these changes. The NGO Forum also expanded its staff in order to meet more effectively the expectations of member organizations. It began to improve cooperation with NGOs based in the provinces, and to help NGOs build advocacy-linkages from the grassroots to the national level. Issues dealt with over this time period included the landmines campaign, the environment, the impact of development banks, women's rights, the growth of civil society and democracy, the strengthening of advocacy skills, and the need for policy makers to have easy access to information about Cambodia.
The NGO Forum has maintained an excellent reputation with the local and international media and representatives of bilateral and multilateral organizations. It is well respected among its international network of supporters. As one of the two longest standing NGO umbrella groups, it has a presence with Cambodian government officials and its work has been well received in the international Consultative Group process.
Main activities
Other NGO Forum projects have included Core Project,Development Policy ProjectGender Project, Trade and Economic Development Project, Environmental Awareness Project
NGOs cooperate to influence the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources to the benefit of people’s livelihoods, Pesticide Project Mekong Basin Community Rights Project, Land Reform Project Resettlement Project, Forestry Livelihoods Project
At the NGO Forum’s 2003 Annual General Meeting, participants rated land issues as the top priority issue for the NGO Forum to work on in its 2004-2005 Action Plan. A Land and Livelihoods Programme commenced, compromising a new Land Issues Project and a strengthening and continuation of NGO Forum’s work regarding protecting the rights of forest-dependent communities and communities facing involuntary resettlement.
Through its Land and Livelihoods Programme, the NGO Forum is responding to an increase in land related conflicts affecting the lives of poor and vulnerable members of Cambodian society. As Cambodia develops, poor people are increasingly losing their access to agricultural land and natural resources, and disputes over access to land are common. Through building NGO networks for information sharing, capacity building, advocacy and community empowerment, the Land and Livelihoods Programme has contributed to an increased awareness and recognition of the rights of poor people in Cambodia. Under the Land and Livelihoods Programme, the NGO Forum’s network has provided support to vulnerable groups such as indigenous minorities, project-affected people and victims of land grabs so as to defend their rights to land and natural resources. In 2006-2008, the Land and Livelihoods Programme will increasingly support provincial networks of NGOs working closely with local government authorities to solve actual land conflicts.
NGO Forum’s Land and Livelihoods Programme for 2006-2008 comprises five projects in two components:
   Component One
     • Land issues project
     • Resettlement and Housing Rights project
   Component Two
     • Indigenous Minority Rights project
     • Forest Livelihoods and Plantations project
     • Enhancing Information Collection and Resource Centre

Contact NGOForum...