A/HRC/42/31
of cases being entered. All courts of first instance will have the database by the end of 2019.
The Ministry of Justice announced it would create a data centre in Phnom Penh to facilitate
data collection and analysis from all courts.
36.
OHCHR started implementing a joint project with the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) on access to justice by persons with disabilities, funded by the United
Nations Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Two training
workshops were carried out for judges, prosecutors and lawyers from the three target
provinces – Banteay Meanchey, Battambang and Siem Reap – to introduce them to the
human rights approach to disability. OHCHR also organized two trainings for local
organizations of persons with disabilities on documenting and monitoring cases of human
rights violations. Three grants were awarded to organizations, including in relation to the
provision of legal aid, assessing the situation of persons with disabilities in prison and
supporting persons with psychosocial disabilities who are chained in their homes.
37.
In a survey carried out in 2018, as part of the OHCHR Extraordinary Chambers in
the Courts of Cambodia legacy programme, most judges surveyed considered the
Annotated Code of Criminal Procedure, a flagship product of the programme, as a useful
tool. OHCHR resumed its work with law students to discuss the programme’s legacy and
fair trial rights, providing two lectures and facilitating one training for 30 university
students in 2018.
38.
Following its monitoring and advocacy activities, OHCHR produced a report on
popular justice, including incidents of mob killings or beatings and cases of killings,
beatings, harassment and eviction of people accused of practising witchcraft. The public
report, to be launched in July 2019, highlights challenges in the judicial sector to deal with
popular justice as well as progress in police and court investigations. The release of the
report will mark the start of a public awareness campaign led by OHCHR together with the
Cambodian Human Rights Committee, encouraging people not to participate in acts of
popular justice and to report these to the police.
39.
As part of its torture-prevention work, OHCHR collaborated with the National
Committee against Torture and local prosecutors from Kratie and Tbong Khmum Provinces
to organize a series of district-level briefings. More than 300 local law enforcement
authorities were briefed on torture prevention, use of force and rights upon arrest, including
relevant national legislation and international instruments.
V. Advancing sustainable development through human rights
40.
Economic growth continued at high levels of over 7 per cent, which has had positive
effects for the enjoyment of economic and social rights. According to government figures,
the poverty rate fell from 47.8 per cent in 2007 to 13.5 per cent in 2014. Nonetheless, the
number of people just above the poverty line, also referred to as the “near poor”, has grown,
highlighting the vulnerability of many people to economic and other shocks. In September
2018, UNDP released the Multidimensional Poverty Index – a complex measure based on
10 indicators including education, health and living standards – which placed the
multidimensional poverty rate at 35 per cent for Cambodia, rating Cambodia 58 out of 105
countries.8 During the reporting period, the Government introduced the Law on the
Minimum Wage and also increased the minimum wage for workers in the textile and
footwear sector by 7 per cent in January 2019 to $182 a month.
41.
In September 2018, the Government published its Rectangular Strategy Phase IV,
setting out the main developmental goals and placing governance at its core. In November
2018, the Government published the Cambodian Sustainable Development Goals, including
an additional goal on demining. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Cambodia has highlighted the fact that the targets and indicators in relation to Cambodian
Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions are significantly
8
8
“Clarification: multidimensional poverty is decreasing in Cambodia”, UNDP press release, 26
September 2018.
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