A/HRC/18/47 6. The human rights situation in Cambodia however remains uneven, and in some quarters is clearly regressing. The Government’s sensitivity to criticism, in particular on human rights issues, stifled debate on issues of national importance. In line with its mandate, OHCHR has long maintained an approach of raising human rights concerns directly with duty bearers, with a view to preventing violations and seeking resolutions to often complex situations. In its approach, OHCHR has built strong partnerships with many parts of Government. In the relatively few cases where such dialogue is deemed exhausted or proves ineffective, there may be a need to raise matters publicly. Such public advocacy is an integral part of the mandate of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. In recent years, however, authorities in Cambodia have reacted strongly and negatively to individuals and institutions raising these challenges publicly, including the United Nations and donors. In the case of OHCHR, the Government’s reaction to comments by the High Commissioner’s Representative on matters of serious human rights concern during the reporting period resulted in difficulties in cooperation, although a significant degree of cooperation had resumed at the time of writing. 7. In addition to freedom of expression, OHCHR has monitored disputes related to land across Cambodia. Such disputes, the incidence of which appears to be increasing, remain one of the principal sources of concern for the Government and large parts of the population, and represent a major human rights challenge in the country. During the reporting period, there were numerous occasions where affected communities, land activists and human rights defenders voiced their concern over chronic land disputes through public protest, demonstrating discontent with the current methods and mechanisms available for resolving land disputes. II. Support to prison reform 8. OHCHR has continued working collaboratively with the General Department of Prison (GDP), the Ministry of Interior and its other partners in the Government, development agencies and NGOs, to support prison reform in Cambodia. Support was provided in the areas of legal reform, training of prison personnel, prison monitoring and improving prison conditions and prisoners’ treatment, with a focus on water and sanitation. 9 A revised draft law on prisons was shared with OHCHR by the Ministry of Interior at the end of 2010; the draft appeared to have taken into consideration some of the comments previously provided by OHCHR, including attention to the specific needs of women and juveniles, though other draft provisions still fell short of international human rights standards, such as the absence of a clear framework governing the use of force in prison (i.e. limited to situations where it was strictly necessary, and proportionate to the situation). GDP invited OHCHR to continue to provide legal advice upon the future adoption of the law on prisons, for the review of secondary legislation and prison procedures, in line with the future law and international human rights standards. These, for instance, include the new United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders, adopted by the General Assembly in December 2010. The female prison population has been growing at a faster rate than the overall prison population in Cambodia, and while accommodation separate from men is provided in all prisons, the specific needs of women and girls in prison remain to be adequately addressed. 10. In consultation with the Ministry, OHCHR developed proposals for a revised Royal Decree on the Separate Status of Prison Staff. The current Royal Decree provides that prison officers are recruited in the second-lowest civil servant category and does not provide for any mechanism for promotion to a higher category. This acts as a disincentive to apply for jobs as prison officers, undermines the motivation of staff already employed, 4