Indigenous Communal Land Titling in Cambodia Cambodia’s laws for preserving indigenous land were enacted over 20 years ago but are increasingly difficult to navigate and achieve official legal recognition for its indigenous peoples. By Koem Chhuonvuoch
Sowing the seeds of an equitable world The reclamation of seed as a common good has begun. Following the concept of open source, new approaches evolve that result in the cultivation of a large number of species and varieties. By Barbara Unmüßig
The Dark Underbelly of Land Struggles: Women at the Front of Protests In 2016/17, during the course of my research in Cambodia, I explored micro-politics of contestation and the role of former Khmer Rouge in contesting land grabbing. Analyzing the repercussions on conflict transformation, I also paid special attention to gender dynamics at play. By Anne Hennings
Promises Kept: A Study of the Development of 77 Eviction Sites in Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is a rapidly changing city marked by urban development. In 1998 one in every 20 Cambodians lived in Phnom Penh. Within four years, this statistic has become one in every ten Cambodians. Between 1998 and 2008 the city’s population more than doubled, increasing from 567,860 to 1,237,600 people.
Save our Soils Healthy soils are crucial to human nutrition and the fight against hunger. But worldwide 24 billion tons of fertile soil is lost annually. Barbara Unmüßig calls attention to the growing threat to one of Earth’s most important resources. By Barbara Unmüßig
The Lima Languishing The COP 20’s “Lima call for climate action” is no wake-up call but a worrisome sign of a feeble multilateral climate process plagued by political deafness and leaving poor and vulnerable communities alone with the impacts of climate change. By Lili Fuhr, Liane Schalatek and Maureen Santos
International Dialogue Project: Resource Equity in a Finite World One of the great challenges of the 21st century is to bring about global equity without further overstepping the planet’s ecological limits or overusing the earth’s finite resources.
Ecology & Environment Protection In the context of Cambodia, Heinrich Böll Stiftung (hbs) Cambodia focuses on promoting democratic freedom and sustainable development, with a strong focus on environmental protection and human rights. We collaborate with civil societies, academic organizations, networks of young people and students for capacity building and awareness raising towards a safer society and environment. To achieve our vision, we initiate research projects; support space for civic engagement through dialogues, round-table discussions and campaigns; produce and publish policy briefs as well as other education materials. These actions aim to inform and foster stakeholder dialogue at the local, national and regional levels for ensuring sustainable development strategies and policies in Cambodia. The special attention is given to the development of Cambodia’s indigenous communities whose social and cultural survival depends on the preservation of their traditions and their livelihoods. We strive to empower female and male indigenous leaders and their communities to defend their livelihood rights and pursue self-determined development. Our Cambodia partners include local non-governmental organisations, academic organizations, indigenous associations and regional networks.
Policy for the poor? Tenure security, or more specifically lack thereof, is a pervasive problem in Cambodia. While rural households are driven from their land in the thousands to make way for Economic Land Concessions and other types of developments, urban residents, particularly the poor, continue to live with insecure tenure. Over 150,000 people in Phnom Penh – representing 11% of the capital’s current population – have been displaced over the past two decades.
