Cambodia

Books for Asia

donates books on

subjects including

government and

politics, business

administration and

management,

economics, culture,

the environment,

information

technology, medicine,

and English.

EMPOWERING WOMEN

Cambodian women represent 51 percent of thecountry’s population, yet their ability to partici-pate as equal partners in social, political, and economic life is severely constrained. Conservativetraditional norms value women less than men,and persistent gender power imbalances lead topoverty, illiteracy, gender discrimination, andother obstacles that prevent women from effec-tively participating in Cambodia’s development.

The Asia Foundation’s decades of work inwomen’s empowerment focuses on three key,mutually reinforcing areas: expanding women’sand girl’s basic rights and security, promotingtheir economic, educational and legal rights, aswell as promoting women’s effective participationin political public life.

PROVIDING EDUCATION TO WOMEN

AND GIRLS

Serious gaps in education persist in Cambodia,with fewer girls attending and completing school,as parents prioritize boys’ education while girls areexpected to help out at home. As part of The AsiaFoundation’s Tertiary Scholarship for Girls program the Foundation provides girls with a quality education.

Education equips women and girls with the skillsto pull themselves out of poverty and claim theirrights. The Foundation’ scholarship programenables young women to give back to their communities using the skills and knowledge thatonly an education can provide.

COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND

UNSAFE LABOR MIGRATION

Unsafe labor migration practices put Cambodiansat risk of exploitation and abuse, most commonlyin the form of labor and sex trafficking. For over adecade, Cambodia has been monitored by NGOsand government agencies as a source, transit, anddestination country for human trafficking. Whilethe causes are complex, poverty remains a significant driver for human trafficking. Thewidening social-economic disparity between rural and urban areas places pressure on many tomigrate for work.

The Asia Foundation’s approach to combatinghuman trafficking is guided by an integrated strategy of prevention, protection, and prosecu-tion support, as well as socially responsible laborrecruitment. Through support to our partners atboth grassroots and national levels, theFoundation has raised awareness of safe labormigration practices and strengthened social safetynets, including psycho-social support, access tojustice, and shelter provision.

The Asia Foundation

first opened its

Cambodia office in

1955. In 1989, after

a 15-year hiatus, the

Foundation resumed

program activities

with Cambodians.

The Phnom Penh

office reopened

in 1993.

The Asia Foundation has been working for peace and prosperity with the people of Cambodia since 1955.Through periods of instability, turmoil, reconstruction, and growth, the Foundation has provided supportto thousands of schools and universities, government agencies, NGOs, citizens’ groups, business associ-ations and small and medium enterprises to help them advance Cambodia’s economic, social, and political development.

CAMBODIA

HEADQUARTERS465 California Street, 9th FloorSan Francisco, CA 94104 USATel: (415) 982-4640Fax: (415) 392-8863info@asiafound.org

WASHINGTON, DC1779 Massachusetts Ave., NWSuite 815Washington, D.C. 20036 USATel: (202) 588-9420Fax: (202) 588-9409info@asiafound-dc.org

CAMBODIAHouse No. 59Oknha Peich (St 242)Phnom Penh, CambodiaTel: + 855 (23) 210-431Fax: + 855 (23) 217-553tafcb@asiafound.org

www.asiafoundation.org

ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND PROTECTING

CITIZEN RIGHTS

The Cambodian justice system has often been seento suppress the voices of nongovernmental organizations, unions, the media and individualhuman rights activists. Most commonly, activistsor civil society representatives have been chargedwith criminal offenses such as defamation orincitement.

The Asia Foundation has been a pioneer in its support for the work of leading human rights organizations in the promotion and protection ofhuman rights. The Foundation’s justice and humanrights programs in Cambodia focus on issues suchas resolving land disputes, monitoring imprisonedhuman rights workers, investigating human rightsabuses, and providing legal representation to vic-tims. In order to ensure that Cambodians haveaccess to fair treatment under the law and havetheir rights protected, the Foundation is workingto train lawyers to better represent human rightsdefenders, and to strengthen the capacity of localNGOs and CBOs to push for legal reform.

PROMOTING RESPONSIVE GOVERNANCE &

CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT

Since the 1993 elections, Cambodia has experienced challenges in creating a stable andmature democracy. To promote stability after yearsof civil war, the increased centralization of authority has led to a fracturing of civil society.The Asia Foundation supports Cambodian effortsto address citizen demands for efficiency and transparency in economic and social regulation.With Cambodia now engaged in a long-termprocess of decentralization, the Foundation’sDemand for Good Governance program, promotescitizen participation and engagement, particularlyat the local level, and explores new strategies for improving the quality of governance.

STRENGTHENING LOCAL ECONOMIC

GOVERNANCE

While overall poverty in Cambodia has fallen, the pace of development between urban and ruralareas varies greatly and 50 percent of Cambodiansare living on less than $2 a day. Cambodia is experiencing an increasingly unequal distributionof wealth geographically, as well as within thesocial structure where elites have been able to benefit disproportionally from an uneven playing field.

In Cambodia, The Asia Foundation considersmicro, small, and medium enterprise (MSMEs) development as a critical step to achieve sustainableand a more balanced economic growth. For almost10 years, the Foundation has been working withMSMEs in Cambodia to help create a more pro-ductive, enabling environment for local businesses, with the ultimate aim to improve thebusiness environment for Cambodia’s provincialMSMEs so they can flourish and compete domestically and in foreign markets.

IMPROVING URBAN SERVICES

Phnom Penh’s population has doubled in the lastdecade, mostly due to inward migration. As a compounding factor, the authorities have evictedthousands of urban poor from central locationsand relocated them to the peri-urban areas ofPhnom Penh where services are few or non-existent.One of the major problems is the lack of garbage collection which leads to illegal dumping at informal dumpsites, on-site burning of waste, andthe accumulation of household waste in waterways,drainage systems, and community streets. Theaccumulated waste fouls water sources, releasestoxic gases during burning, threatens public health,and reduces the overall livability of communities.

The Asia Foundation’s Urban Services programfocuses on the improvement of service delivery inPhnom Penh in Solid Waste Management. TheAsia Foundation works closely with and provides technical assistance to local government on developing new policies and procedures to regulateand manage solid waste management, so that communities have affordable access to basic services such as clean drinking water or garbagecollection.

BOOKS FOR ASIA

The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia programenvisions a world where every child has access tobooks that inspire them to develop to their fullpotential. An educated population is a powerfultool to combat poverty and disease, and to promote stability.

In Cambodia alone, Books for Asia has distributedapproximately 900,000 English-language books toCambodian universities, schools, NGOs, and public libraries since 1955.

In Cambodia, The Asia Foundation’s programs are funded by the governments ofAustralia and the United States, the World Bank, as well as private donorsincluding Chong-Moon Lee and the Shirin Pandju Merali Foundation.

10/2013

The Asia Foundation

is a nonprofit international

development organization

committed to improving

lives across a dynamic

and developing Asia.

Headquartered in San

Francisco, The Asia

Foundation works through

a network of offices in

18 Asian countries and in

Washington, DC. Working

with public and private

partners, the Foundation

receives funding from

a diverse group of

bilateral and multilateral

development agencies,

foundations, corporations,

and individuals.