Cambodia: Fundamental Freedoms Monitoring Project
LAST UPDATED: December 2022
The Fundamental Freedoms Monitoring Project, which began in 2016, examines and evaluates the extent to which the freedoms of association, expression, and assembly are exercised in Cambodia. The information used was systematically compiled from a variety of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including public polling, media monitoring, and surveys of civil society organizations (CSOs) and trade unions (TUs).
The FFMP’s Sixth Annual Report monitored fundamental freedoms in Cambodia from January through December 2022. Key findings include:
- A total of 566 restrictions and violations of fundamental freedoms occurred across Cambodia in 2022.
- 209 included at least one restriction (up by 125% compared to 2021),5 and 354 others included at least one violation (up by 43% compared to 2021).
- Incidents involving a restriction or violation of fundamental freedoms were recorded in every province of Cambodia.
- Understanding of fundamental freedoms remains low – 10% report fully understanding freedom of assembly, 12% for freedom of expression, and only 5% for freedom of association.
- Overall, only 35% of individuals polled feel free to speak in public and 68% of the public reported regularly self-censoring.
- Only 54% of individuals said they felt free to assemble.
- Only 40% of individuals polled reporting feeling free to take part in political activities.
- The proportion of women respondents who reported feeling free to participate in political activities decreased from Year Six to Year Seven, at 21%. Although still low, we should note that only 22% of men feel free to participate in political activities.
The FFMP is a joint initiative of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), and the American Center for International Labor Solidarity (ACILS), with technical assistance provided by the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law (ICNL).