Why the Government Plans to Pass a Law on NGOs
The Government wants the Ministry of Interior to exercise greater oversight of the country’s Non-Government Organizations and Associations, H.E. Sak Sitha, Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Interior told the NGO Fair in Phnom Penh on June 9, 2006. Pivotal to this will be the passage of an NGO Law.
The Ministry of Interior has 1800 associations and 300 NGOs registered with it, he said. They contribute about $200 million to Cambodia’s economy every year. Seventy percent of the associations and NGOs work in the social, education, agriculture, and health fields; the rest are involved in democracy, human rights, vocational training, natural resources, environment, and religions.
H.E Sak Sitha said the Government acknowledges the important role civil society plays in Cambodia. NGOs contribute to the fight against corruption by strengthening accountability of all government officials; and they help to implement decentralization, solve problems like HIV/AIDS and bird flu, prevent deforestation, and resolve land deputes. They also work on advocacy and contribute their ideas to the Government policy.
However, he said, there are some NGOs who take the opportunity to do inappropriate things, and opposing the Government to serve their own ends. To avoid such problems and to ensure good governance by the government, as well as assist the efficiency of NGOs and provide them with a good environment, he said the government has authorized the Ministry of Interior to exercise greater oversight, to find out more clearly what NGOs are doing; to establish an efficient mechanism to provide them with legal protection; to organize a consultative structure between government and NGOs to define their role clearly and provide an appropriate environment; and most importantly, have a law on associations and NGOs.
H.E Sak Sitha emphasized that the law would provide a positive environment for NGOs, giving them a legal basis to protect themselves and to promote their work and provide the opportunity to work with the Government as a partner. He said the law was not intended to give the Government control over NGO activities.
(Source: The World Bank newsletter, Volume 4, Number 10, October 2006)