Background

LSCW was established by Vichuta Ly, a Khmer-Canadian lawyer. Having lived in Canada since 1980, Vichuta Ly returned to Cambodia in 1999 and quickly realised that there was a serious gap in legal services for women and children victims. On July 2 2002, LSCW was registered as a non-governmental organisation with the Cambodian Ministry of Interior (licence no. 626). It was established as a not-for-profit organisation that would be independent of all political parties. The provision of free legal advice to women and child victims of crime remains the foundation of LSCW’s work. Unlike other legal aid providers, LSCW is solely victim-focused and does not provide defence representation (except in cases of child offenders under the age of 15). This approach has enabled LSCW to develop a holistic approach to victim support, building relationships with governmental and non-governmental providers of support services (such as shelter accommodation, counselling and health care).

Mission

Our mission is to contribute to the development of the rule of law, to promote access to justice and to protect human rights, including the rights of migrants.

Vision

Our vision is a just and open society in Cambodia in which human rights and the dignity of the individual are respected, within the rule of law.

Goal

-To prevent violence and abuse against women and children in Cambodia -To ensure that perpetrators of violence and abuse against women and children are held accountable within the criminal justice system under the rule of law -To work towards the elimination of trafficking in person and the exploitation of migrants -To develop constructive partnerships and networks with other civil society organizations, both within Cambodia and across its neighbouring countries -To be an active participant in national, regional and international efforts to counter trafficking and to protect the human rights of migrants -To train Cambodian law students and to build their capacity to support our target groups