Advocates for International Development helps UK lawyers to help a Cambodian human rights group improve LGBT rights
UK lawyers are helping a Cambodian human rights center draft proposals for law reform to protect LGBT people in the southeast Asian nation.
Lawyers from Linklaters in the UK working for free for charity Advocates for International Development conducted comparative legislative research for the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR).
CCHR are working on proposals for an anti-discrimination law to protect LGBT people in Cambodia from unfair treatment at school, work and accessing public services.
‘Without legal protection that specifically protects them from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, LGBT people in developing countries are less able to access the same human rights that everyone else takes for granted,’ said CCHR’s Theng Chamnan.
‘We hope that through proper legal reform, LGBT people in Cambodia will receive greater protection and be able to play a full role in society.’
Recently the Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen told his citizens that they shouldn’t discriminate against gays and lesbians. He appears to have evolved on the issue because in 2007 he told a university graduation ceremony that he was going to disown his daughter for having a ‘wife’.
Cambodia has held week-long Pride celebrations since 2009, including one in May this year, but the government wouldn’t allow a parade.
by Anna Leach
Source – Gay Star News
