• Policy Brief: The Garment Industry in Cambodia: “Workers’ Rights are Human Rights”

    • Released Date: 19-Jan-2014
    • Publication: Report
    Policy Brief: The Garment Industry in Cambodia: “Workers’ Rights are Human Rights”

    Over the past two decades, the garment industry in Cambodia has grown exponentially and is now one of the most important industries in Cambodia, representing a large share of the country’s GDP and employing over 475,000 people. Although the early years of the industry saw substantial improvements in the respect for labor rights and working conditions in the factories, placing Cambodia as a leader in the garment manufacturing industry, these trends seem to have reversed in the past several years and the human rights situation with regards to the garment industry is showing signs of decline. This Policy Brief aims to outline the current state of human rights in relation to the garment industry in Cambodia and offers recommendations for reforms that would substantially improve the situation.

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  • CCHR Briefing Note on Excessive Use of Force against Demonstrators in 2013 in Cambodia

    • Released Date: 03-Jan-2014
    • Publication: Report
    CCHR Briefing Note on Excessive Use of Force against Demonstrators in 2013 in Cambodia

    2013 saw an upsurge in the number of demonstrations in the Kingdom of Cambodia (“Cambodia”), with hundreds of thousands of people taking their complaints to the public forum. From protests by garment workers and victims of forced evictions, to rallies by the political opposition, the end of the year was marked by daily news of demonstrations.

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  • Fact Sheet: Institutions Series: The Arbitration Council

    • Released Date: 26-Dec-2013
    • Publication: Factsheet
    Fact Sheet: Institutions Series: The Arbitration Council

    The Arbitration Council, established in May 2003, is an independent national institution with quasi-judicial authority responsible for resolving collective labour disputes through conciliation and arbitration.

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  • CCHR Expresses Concerns over the Call by the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia to Implement a Zero-tolerance Policy Against Illegal Strikes

    • Released Date: 24-Dec-2013
    • Publication: Press Release
    CCHR Expresses Concerns over the Call by the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia to Implement a Zero-tolerance Policy Against Illegal Strikes

    The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) is greatly concerned by the statement released by the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (“GMAC”) on 18 December 2013, claiming that the Royal Government of Cambodia (the “RGC”) appears to be too patient in dealing with unions. GMAC represents more than 400 garment and footwear factories in the country and claims in its statement that “crafty” unions constantly use violent, non-procedural strikes and demonstrations to demand benefits from the employer.

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  • Cambodia: Land in Conflict An Overview of the Land Situation

    • Released Date: 12-Dec-2013
    • Publication: Others
    Cambodia: Land in Conflict An Overview of the Land Situation

    As noted by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia (the “Special Rapporteur”) last August at the United Nations (“UN”) Human Rights Council, “Land rights continue to be a major issue in this country.”1 Conflict over land – combined with the widespread and systematic violation of land rights – is one of the most prominent human rights problems faced by Cambodians throughout the country, one whose roots can be traced to the abolition of private ownership when the Khmer Rouge took over power in 1975.

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  • Fact Sheet: Excessive Use of Force at Workers’ Protest

    • Released Date: 22-Nov-2013
    • Publication: Factsheet
    Fact Sheet: Excessive Use of Force at Workers’ Protest

    The recent extremely violent attempt by the authorities to crack down a demonstration by workers is yet another example that highlights the disregard for the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in the Kingdom of Cambodia (“Cambodia”).

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  • Fact Sheet: The Labor Law 1997

    • Released Date: 22-Nov-2013
    • Publication: Factsheet
    Fact Sheet: The Labor Law 1997

    The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) has classified the Labor Law as yellow, because, in spite of all the positive provisions introduced by the law, some of its dispositions incite job insecurity. Moreover, the Labor Law fails to provide a more coercive system that obliges factories and authorities to implement the provisions of the Labor Law.

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  • CCHR Deplores the Use of Live Ammunition by Security Forces as Today’s SL Garment Factory Protests Turned Violent

    • Released Date: 12-Nov-2013
    • Publication: Press Release
    CCHR Deplores the Use of Live Ammunition by Security Forces as Today’s SL Garment Factory Protests Turned Violent

    The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) strongly condemns the violent turn of events during today’s – 12 November 2013 – protest by hundreds of garment workers from the SL Garment Factory, which produces garments for the Gap and H&M. Strikes and protests at the SL Garment Factory have been ongoing since early August, with workers asking for a wage increase, the reinstatement of meal breaks and the removal of military police hired by the factory as security guards, demands which have remained unanswered by the factory’s management. The protestors today were attempting to march to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s house near the Independence Monument in central Phnom Penh, but were stopped by security forces in the capital’s Meanchey district, where the factory is located.

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  • Kamako​ Chhnoeum: Program Findings from September 1st to October 28th, 2013 (Published by ILO-BFC)

    • Released Date: 30-Oct-2013
    • Publication: Report
    Kamako​ Chhnoeum: Program Findings from September 1st to October 28th, 2013 (Published by ILO-BFC)

    This report is written and published by the International Labour Organisation’s Better Factories Cambodia program (BFC) who launched Kamako Chhnoeum (Outstanding Worker) on September 1, 2013. The system is available for free to workers calling on two networks: Smart and Cellcard. Metfone will join the program soon. The project uses an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to educate garment and footwear workers on issues of importance to them.

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  • Finding from Round table Discussions and Policy Platforms

    • Released Date: 26-Jul-2013
    • Publication: Others
    Finding from Round table Discussions and Policy Platforms

    The dissemination of clear policies by political parties during the preamble to an election is essential in order for citizens to effectively exercise their democratic will. In the Kingdom of Cambodia (“Cambodia”), where a significant percentage of the population have been subjected to forced evictions and land tenure insecurity by both state and business actors, it is extremely important for party policies to reflect and address the land current crisis.

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  • CCHR Publishes the Map of Garment Factory in Cambodia

    • Released Date: 30-Jun-2013
    • Publication: Press Release
    CCHR Publishes the Map of Garment Factory in Cambodia

    The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) publishes today – 30 June 2013 – a map of garment factories operating in Cambodia and their supply chains (the “Garment Factory Map”). The Garment Factory Map provides detailed profiles for each factory, including the factory’s location, the nationality of the owner, the types of products manufactured, the number of employees and, where available, the specific brands supplied. The information is gathered from official records of the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (“GMAC”) and from news media and relevant publications in Khmer or English.

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  • Thirtieth Synthesis Report on Working Conditions in Cambodia’s Garment Sector (Published by ILO BFC)

    • Released Date: 18-Jun-2013
    • Publication: Report
    Thirtieth Synthesis Report on Working Conditions in Cambodia’s Garment Sector (Published by ILO BFC)

    The chief purpose of the Better Factories Cambodia Synthesis Reports is to provide an overview of working conditions in the Cambodian garment and footwear industries, and to enable stakeholders to use this information to improve working conditions. ’’This Report demonstrates that improvements are not being made in many areas including fire safety, child labour, and worker safety and health.

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