Diakonia: Supporting People for a Dignified Life 2020-2024

The narrative report for 2022 shows that the program has provided core support to 18 key human rights organisations in Cambodia in accordance with the program document and the agreement, including approved updated workplan and budget. It can be concluded that there has been a continued positive progress on Diakonias reporting and that there is an improved results framework with clear indicators which enhances reporting of results. The programme has achieved significant results and is in progress to achieive it's objectives. However, the report also includes challenges, many in relation to the context of the closing space for civil society. Overall, the programme's focus on human rights and opportunities for core support to civil society is assessed to play a significant role in the context and contributes to creating some room for positive forces to work for change in society in the long term. One example of results achieved by implementing partners in 2022 (objective 3) is t the work of the women's rights organization Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC). GADC has, with the help of core support through Diakonia, worked systematically and strategically to strengthen Cambodian women's rights at local, national and international levels. At the local level, GADC has organized community groups and conducted 108 meetings, with a total of 707 participants (365 women, 342 men). That have led to increased awareness among participants about gender equality and gender-based violence, which has contributed to more reporting of, and law enforcement within, domestic violence, rape and trafficking of women and children. At the national level, GADC has through advocacy work towards the Ministry of Women Affairs (MoWA) and participation in the Technical Working Group on Gender Equality (TWG-G) put forward recommendations and input on gender equality and violence against women and has contributed to the development and implementation of the National Action Plan on Violence Against Women (NAPVAW III). The assumption is that this advocacy work will contribute to better plans and decisions within the ministry with a clearer link to women's rights. At the international level, GADC has contributed to the shadow report of the UN Convention on the Status of Women (CEDAW) by taking a leading role in the subcommittees on women's political participation, gender-based violence, surrogacy, and women's and girls' education. Ahead of the visit of the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) in 2023, GADC also contributed with direct input, including on the situation of LGBTQI people's vulnerability to violence and discrimination.

The overall objective for the program is; A strengthened civil society with the capacity to widen democratic space and promote human rights and gender equality so Cambodian people can lead peaceful, dignified lives with access to fundamental rights and freedoms. The overall objective has four underlying objectives that will all contribute to a strengthened civil society. The objectives are; 1) Human Rights Objective: Rights holders', grassroots communities', and CSO's capacity strengthened to advocate for a functioning rule of law as well as respect and promotion of Human Rights, which benefits all. 2) Democracy Objective: Rights holders, grassroots communities and CSOs supported to strengthen their capability for widening democratic space in Cambodia, which benefits all. 3) Gender Equality Objective: Women, men and boys and girls empowered and strengthened to exercise their rights for gender equality, hold government accountable to their commitments and contribute to reducing gender-based violence in community and society. 4) Objectives for strengthening partners: Partners are empowered and strengthened to achieve organizational and programmatic sustainability.