EUROPEAN UNION-CAMBODIA

CIVIL SOCIETY SEMINAR ON HUMAN RIGHTS

THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND HUMAN

RIGHTS DEFENDERS

 

PHNOM PENH, 31 AUGUST – 1 SEPTEMBER 2010

VENUE “RAFFLES HOTEL”

AGENDA

31 AUGUST 2010.  DAY 1

08.00 - 08.30 Registration of participants

08.30 - 10.00         PLENARY SESSION: THE OPENING

08.30 –  08.45       Welcoming speech by Mr Rafael Dochao Moreno, Chargé d'Affaires a.i, Delegation of the European Union to the Kingdom of Cambodia

08.45 – 09.00        Welcoming speech by a representative of the Royal Government of Cambodia TBC

09.00 – 09.15        Welcoming speech by Mr. Hang Chhaya, Chairman of Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) on behalf of Cambodian civil society

09.15 – 09.30        Welcoming speech by the representative of the Presidency of the EU, Mr Dominique Mas, Chargé d'Affaires a.i, Ambassade de France au Cambodge

09.30 – 10.00        Coffee break

10.00 - 12.00 SESSION 1: THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN CAMBODIA – EXCHANGE WITH CIVIL SOCIETY AND CAMBODIAN AUTHORITIES

Working Groups 1, 2 & 3:

Discussion in the three working groups will include:

-          Practical consideration on how human rights defenders and Cambodian authorities (village chiefs, commune and sangkats councillors, district and provincial councils and administrations)  can cooperate in order to facilitate their human rights efforts; and on how to protect human rights defenders to improve their rights and capacity (legally and in practice) to play their role

-          A discussion of the role of government officials at different levels and their specific achievements to date in the cooperation with civil society in the field of human rights

-          A discussion of the most effective means by which civil society may contribute to the debate around the development and implementation of government policy to protect human rights

-          Practical consideration of how representatives of civil society will build upon current human rights discussions in order to feed prioritised recommendations into the political dialogue in Cambodia

Each Working Group should devote about 40 minutes to each question, and discuss two questions during the morning session and two in the afternoon.

Working Group 1  (Urban)

10.00 – 10.30        Introductory panel:

Panellist 1: National Assembly (tbc)

Panellist 2: Mr Thun Saray, President, Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC)

Panellist 3: Trade Union representative

10.30 – 12.00 Discussion moderated by Norma Johnston, Good Cause Communications Ldt

 

Working Group 2  (Rural)

10.00 – 10.30        Introductory panel :

Panellist 1: Mr Bouth Chik, Member, Legislation Council, Ministry of Interior

Panellist 2: Mr Yeng Virak, Executive Director, Community Legal Education Centre

Panellist 3: Human Rights Defender (TBC)

10.30 – 12.00 Discussion moderated by Nov Mean Samnang, Ang Khmer Group

Working Group 3  (Gender)

10.00 – 10.30        Introductory panel:

Panellist 1: H.E. Hou Maline, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Women's Affairs

Panellist 2: Ms Seng Theary, human rights activist, Founding President of CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education

Panellist 3: Ms Sopheap Ros, Executive Director, Gender and Development for Cambodia (GAD/C)

10.30 – 12.00 Discussion moderated by Mr Seth Van Doorn, Attaché Political and Commercial Affairs, EU Delegation

12.00 - 13.30          LUNCH

13.30 – 15.00         SESSION 1 CONTINUES IN GROUPS

Working Group discussions continue

15.00 – 15.30        Coffee break

15.30 – 17.00 PLENARY SESSION

Presentation of the main outcomes of each Working Group, followed by a discussion

18.00 - 21.30          DINNER Restaurant Titanic, hosted by the European Union

1 SEPTEMBER 2010.  DAY 2

08.00 – 12.00         SESSION 2:  COOPERATION BETWEEN EUROPEAN AND CAMBODIAN CIVIL SOCIETY ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

08.00 – 08.30 PLENARY SESSION

08.00– 08.30         Presentation of the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms  and the EU Human Rights Defenders guidelines by Mr Vincent Forest, Head of EU office, Frontline

Working Groups 1, 2 & 3:

Discussion in the three working groups will include:

-          Examination of how international standards (for the protection of human rights defenders and their domestic application) and good human rights practices are being applied in Cambodia, highlighting achievements and challenges to date

-          Concrete opportunities for Cambodian and European NGO communities to contribute to the official human rights dialogue as well as to jointly apply for funding and the regulatory and legal framework for the protection of human rights defenders in Cambodia

-          Update from the July 2010 EU-NGO Forum in Brussels with specific reference to concrete support available to Cambodian NGOs

-          Assessment of the current development cooperation and financial instruments made available by EU Member States and the European Commission to Cambodia and those likely to be required in the longer term

Each Working Group should devote about 40 minutes to each question, and discuss two questions during the morning session and two in the afternoon.

Working Group 1  (Urban)

08.30 – 08.50        Introductory panel:

Panellist1: Mr Sok Sam Oeun, Executive Director, Cambodian Defenders Project

Panellist 2: Ms Namuezi Fedi, Technical Advisor on Access to Justice, Avocats sans frontières

08.50 – 10.15 Discussion moderated by Norma Johnston, Good Cause Communications Ldt

10.15 – 10.45        Coffee break

Working Group 2  (Rural)

08.30 – 08.50        Introductory panel:

Panellist 1: Ms Sao Sotheary, Project Manager, Bridges across Borders Cambodia (BABC)

Panellist 2: Mr Jens Tinga, Chargé de mission, Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l’homme (FIDH)

08.50 – 10.15 Discussion moderated by Nov Mean Samnang, Ang Khmer Group

10.15 – 10.45        Coffee break

Working Group 3  (Gender)

08.30 – 08.50 Introductory panel:

Panellist 1: Mr Ou Virak, President, Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR)

Panellist 2: Mr Patrick Burgess, Asia Director, International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ)

08.50 – 10.15 Discussion moderated by Mr Seth Van Doorn, Attaché Political and Commercial Affairs, EU Delegation

10.15 – 10.45        Coffee break

10.45 – 12.00         PLENARY SESSION

Presentation of the main outcomes of the working groups, followed by a discussion

12.00 - 13.30          LUNCH

13.30 – 17.00         EU CONSULTATION WITH CIVIL SOCIETY

13.30 – 13.45        Explanation of the purpose of the recommendations in the view of the upcoming Human Rights Dialogue with Cambodia by Ms. Danielle Dal-Molin, Policy Desk for Cambodia, Unit South-East Asia, European Commission and Dr Malgorzata Olimpia Gorska, Policy Desk Officer, Unit Human Rights, European Commission

13.45 – 15.00        Discussion moderated by TBC

15.00 – 15.15        Coffee break

15.15 – 16.30        Formulation and adoption of recommendations

16.30 – 17.00        Wrap up, closing remarks