U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama's recent historic visit to Cambodia has generated a lot of discussion about the importance of girls' education and the role that we all can play in helping girls go to school and stay in school. During her visit Mrs. Obama attended one of the very first training sessions of the new Let Girls Learn initiative, a U.S.
government-wide program that will work at the grassroots level and with local and national officials in developing countries around the world to break down barriers to girls' education. In doing so, I sincerely believe that our joint efforts will lead to a better future for not just a small group of girls, but for an entire generation of youth.
During her visit, Mrs. Obama met with ten Cambodian girls who are participating in the Room to Read program. Room to Read is a non-governmental organization (NGO) based out of San Francisco, California that promotes literacy and gender equality in education. Since 2000, Room to Read has helped nearly ten million girls and boys to improve themselves through education. Mrs. Obama's meeting allowed her to hear firsthand about some of the challenges that girls face in continuing their education.
I am often asked about the role of NGOs and civil society in Cambodia. This week, I heard from a number of readers who are concerned about recent laws that will make it more difficult for NGOs to promote political discussion during elections. Protection for the freedoms of assembly and expression is a vital component of the formula for building a strong and sustainable democracy in Cambodia. NGOs and other civil society organizations provide citizens with an additional means to communicate with each other and with their leaders on a wide range of issues. As the country continues to develop, the need for these avenues of communication will grow. The United States stands by civil society in calling for freedom, tolerance and rule of law.
Although political NGOs tend to dominate the news, it turns out that most NGOs in Cambodia are working on issues in the areas of health, education, and community development. As the Room to Read program demonstrates, when government funding for health, education, and other public services is limited, NGOs help to fill important gaps for people living in under-served communities. There is no doubt that the advances that Cambodia has achieved in recent years – an increasingly democratic society, a growing economy, progress in human rights, and more – is due in great part to the work of NGOs. When civil society is strong, the country is stronger.
Today, there is a vibrant community of NGOs in the country, which includes a new generation of educated young Cambodians that have entered the nonprofit sector to improve the capability and strength of civil society. A number of them have studied abroad and brought new perspectives to share. I am encouraged by this increased level of activity in civil society. This is just one of the many topics that I discussed with the members of my NGO Advisory Council, which has been an effective means for me to engage with leading Cambodian civil society members directly on a wide range of important topics. This Council is a great source for ideas and best practices that we have found immensely valuable, and I have been privileged to learn about and work with a number of remarkable NGOs that are helping to make a stronger Cambodia. Here are just a few:
The Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC) uses new rice production technology to improve rice farmers’ incomes as well as the economic development of Cambodia’s agriculture sector.
Kampuchean Action for Primary Education (KAPE) has multiple education and school feeding programs that are directly benefitting over 200,000 children and hundreds of teachers, primarily located in the eastern provinces of Cambodia.
In health care, the Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance (KHANA) is the largest national NGO in Cambodia providing integrated HIV prevention, care and support services for those most at risk of HIV infection as well as their families and the communities in which they live.
The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have each made significant contributions to monitoring human rights in Cambodia and providing support to victims of human rights violations.
These are just a small number of the many wonderful local and international NGOs and civil society organizations doing quality work in Cambodia. Their combined efforts have helped to bring more stability and prosperity to Cambodia, and much more can be expected in the future.
As the country moves forward, diverse voices from NGOs and other members of civil society are increasingly important. Along with the government and the private sector, NGOs and civil society have a key role to play in improving the quality of lives of ordinary Cambodians. If every Cambodian is to have a voice in shaping their country’s future, a robust and thriving civil society that speaks out on important issues and empowers Cambodia's citizens is essential.
I would like to thank you for reading my column this and every week. Please send me your questions in English or Khmer at AskAMBToddPP@state.gov and follow my blog at http://blogs.usembassy.gov/todd/.
William E. Todd is U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
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