Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights

Description

LICADHO, the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights, is a national human rights organization in Cambodia.

It was founded in 1992 by Dr. Kek Galabru, who returned to Cambodia after the Paris Peace Accords. It is based in Phnom Penh and also runs twelve provincial offices. It works closely with grassroots communities, human rights defenders and activists to monitor, document and investigate abuses of civil, political, economic and social rights.

Its work runs through two programmes, monitoring and protection, and promotion and advocacy. It monitors prisons and state violations, provides paralegal and legal representation, medical assistance and social work to victims, and has specialized programs for women’s and children’s rights. It also supports unions and grassroots networks, provides training and information, and carries out public advocacy on issues such as forced eviction and land grabbing.

It has an in-house team of prison monitors, doctors, lawyers, paralegals and social workers. It belongs to the International Federation for Human Rights and Forum-Asia, and is a campaign partner of WITNESS. It also has a sister organization, LICADHO Canada, which supports communities threatened with eviction.