A/HRC/21/35
resources, and temporarily halting the Court’s legacy activities as outlined in its budget for
2012-2013.
57.
The above-mentioned developments made it more challenging for OHCHR to
conduct its programme of promoting the legacy of the Extraordinary Chambers in the
Courts of Cambodia. Significant parts of the programme did, however, continue to flourish.
In particular, increased cooperation between OHCHR and the Ministry of Justice led to a
series of judicial round tables held jointly with five provincial courts, judges, prosecutors
and lawyers from 14 of the country’s 24 provinces attending the meetings. The primary
purpose of the discussions was to consider lessons learned from the experience of the
Extraordinary Chambers in the domestic criminal justice context, as well as broader issues
of concern. The meetings were an important space for discussion of several matters of law
on which the internal rules and decisions of the Extraordinary Chambers provide examples
of the application of fair trial rights, in particular the provisions on pretrial detention and
rules of evidence and procedure. In addition, ongoing work on a Code of Criminal
Procedure annotated with the jurisprudence of the Extraordinary Chambers will ensure that
lessons are learned for future generations of judges, prosecutors and lawyers.
58.
In keeping with the commitment of OHCHR to support awareness-raising about
gender-based violence globally, OHCHR Cambodia is a member of the Advisory
Committee for the Women’s Hearings on Gender-based Violence during the Khmer Rouge
Period, an initiative of the Cambodian Defender’s Project. The hearings, the first of which
was held in December 2011, provided an avenue for greater documentation of and
discussion about gender-based violence committed during the period of Democratic
Kampuchea, bearing in mind the limited extent to which this has formed, and will form,
part of the evidence heard at the Extraordinary Chambers. OHCHR is working on this
initiative with UN-Women, the Office of the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral on Sexual Violence in Conflict and with civil society.
VI. Public information and human rights education
59.
The OHCHR communications programme promotes human rights awareness and
education among a diverse group of stakeholders across Cambodia. The programme uses
various communication approaches and tools to broaden public understanding of human
rights, and partners with civil society organizations, United Nations entities, Government
offices and academic institutions.
60.
A primary focus of the work of OHCHR work has been the dissemination of print
materials to raise awareness of human rights. OHCHR delivered more than 10,000 books
and other informative materials to 45 State-run and private universities in 12 provinces,
including teacher training centres, military and police academies, a Buddhist institution,
and schools offering courses in law, business and the humanities. Human rights materials
were also displayed at Government offices. In addition, more than 30,000 copies of human
rights publications were disseminated to various institutions across Cambodia through the
Office’s extensive training and awareness-raising activities; some 16,000 stickers and 40
posters were distributed during the Human Rights Day activities in December 2011.
61.
OHCHR also engages with the media to promote human rights. In its efforts to
promote awareness of indigenous rights, OHCHR coordinated a segment of the “Equity
Weekly” television programme of the United Nations Development Programme, broadcast
on a local network provider, pertaining to indigenous issues and World Indigenous Day
celebrations. Radio broadcasts were also utilized as a medium to promote human rights
messages on Human Rights Day. Together with the United Nations Population Fund, the
Office held provincial screenings of short films on human rights and reproductive rights.
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