Programs & Events
US-Sponsored Information Boards to Promote Transparency at Provincial Courts
Ministry of Justice, Phnom Penh
May 21, 2008
Cambodia’s courts are unveiling public information boards designed to improve the accessibility and transparency of the country’s legal system. The Ministry of Justice launched a roll-out of the boards in Phnom Penh, with every provincial court scheduled to install its own set by mid-July. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding the program to be implemented by the East West Management Institute (EWMI).
In her remarks at the launch ceremony, U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Piper A. W. Campbell said, "These information boards will go a long way toward ensuring that Cambodia’s courts are more accessible and transparent. As they are unveiled in every provincial court around the country, the boards will serve as a public reminder of not only the responsibilities Cambodian citizens have to their legal system, but the duties the legal system has to Cambodians."
The information boards make details of court rules and procedures available to the public -- information that was previously unavailable to court users. The idea comes from a model courthouse in Kandal Province developed by the Ministry of Justice with USAID support. The Kandal courthouse piloted the information boards in December of 2006, and the public reaction was so positive that USAID and the Ministry decided to expand the program to every courthouse in the country.
The information boards come in sets of three. The first board lists civil dispute filing fees and provides criteria for waiving fees for poor people who cannot afford to pay. The second board lists the rights of defendants under the newly passed Criminal Procedure Code. The third board provides information on the rights of accused persons, minors and victims of crime.
The information boards are part of USAID’s $2 million effort this year to strengthen Cambodia’s legal system by training judges and lawyers and by providing the public with greater access to information about the courts. In 2006, USAID signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Royal Government of Cambodia to cooperate on strengthening the country’s legal system. The program’s overall aim is to improve the ability of key Cambodian stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental, to undertake effective advocacy, education and training efforts to ensure that justice and human rights are properly observed and upheld.
