COUNCIL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAMBODIA (CDC)


Legal and Judicial Reform

Although the RGC has made some efforts in the area of rule of law and legal and judicial reform, most notably the creation of schools for training magistrates and lawyers and the appointment of 30 judges and prosecutors, little progress has been achieved. The judicial system is weak and ignored, lacks independence and there is no transparency in the law-making process. NGOs emphasize that the judiciary must be strengthened, starting with the Supreme Council of Magistracy (SCM), stressing transparency in the lawmaking process. The SCM should be strengthened and reformed as an institution to ensure its independence and competency. The reform of other judicial institutions, such as the Supreme Court and Appeal Courts, is also crucial. Top priority should be given to increased transparency in law making, the publication and analysis of laws, parliamentary debates / resolutions, and court judgments. Rule of law also requires access to courts for all. Thus, NGOs recommend establishing legal aid schemes and increasing the number of lawyers who can practice law. An emerging issue is the need for special courts for juveniles, labor law, family law, commercial law, trafficking in persons, and other specialized areas of law. The creation of these courts would be a cost-effective measure. For further information on these issues and the recommendations proposed, please refer to the Child Rights and the Rule of Law papers on pages 13 and 56 respectively. \| Content \| Back \| Top \| Next \|