History
In 1987–88, Dr. Kek Galabru (also known as Dr. Pung Chhiv Kek), a Cambodian living abroad, helped arrange negotiations between Prime Minister Hun Sen and then-deposed Norodom Sihanouk, King Norodom Sihanouk. The negotiations eventually led to the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1991, which mandated a UNTAC, United Nations mission to Cambodia to supervise 1993 Cambodian Constituent Assembly election, elections and resolve the long-standing conflict. Following the peace agreements, Galabru returned to Cambodia and founded LICADHO in 1992. LICADHO was one of the first human rights organizations established in Cambodia. The former socialist regime did not allow independent national NGOs. LICADHO's first work involved conducting voter education campaigns for the 1993 elections and monitoring the pre-election environment. It later began to address serious human rights abuses occurring in the country, with initial activities focused on monitoring rights violations, providing human rights training, and providing medical care to prisoners and victims of human rights violations. In 2005, Galabru was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1,000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize project. In the run-up to the 2018 Cambodian general election, LICADHO was the target of two hacking campaigns, one linked to the Vietnamese state, the other to the Chinese.Organization and work
LICADHO currently pursues its activities through two programs, ''Monitoring and Protection'' and ''Promotion and Advocacy''. The organization employed over 125 staff nationwide at the end of 2012. Dr. Pung Chhiv Kek is the current president of LICADHO. Naly Pilorge is the director. According to LICADHO's website, the organization's Monitoring and Protection Program's activities include: * Monitoring of state violations and women's and children's rights * Paralegal and legal representation * Prison monitoring * Medical assistance * Social work The Promotion and Advocacy Program's activities include: * Supporting unions and grassroots groups and networks * Training and information * Public advocacy and outreachInternational partnerships and memberships
LICADHO is one of two Cambodian members of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the other being Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC). LICADHO is also a member of Forum-Asia, a regional network of human rights organizations, and is a campaign partner of Witness (human rights group), WITNESS. Since 1994, the McGill University Faculty of Law, in Montreal, Canada, has sent students to work at LICADHO as part of its International Human Rights Internship Program.References
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