Overview

Building Community Voices (BCV) is a local NGO, non-profit, non partisan and non religious organization which was established in September 2007 and was registered and recognized by The Ministry of Interior in February 2008. BCV is currently a network member of NGOForum, Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) and Housing Rights Task Force (HRTF) and Extractive Industry Social and Environmental Impact (EISEI) and collaboratively works with Community Peace-Building Network (CPN) and Indigenous Right Active Member (IRAM) and international organizations. BCV organized significant activities under two main programs, Community Mobilization Program and Community Media Program, within these two programs, BCV undertakes as outlined below objectives: Community Organizing skills within Cambodian Community Networks have been developed so that network members are capable of building their constituencies and coordinating between networks. Lobbying & facilitation skills within Cambodian Communities have been developed so that community networks have been able to undertake coordinated national advocacy on issues affecting their rights. Training, coaching and mentoring on media technology Cambodian Community Networks have been developed so that network members and communities are able to express their issues and record those issues in a form that can be distributed to others. Training to develop materials in various formats and distribute throughout the country for example, establishing community web-sites to host the advocacy materials Strengthen analysis and support communities in analyzing on aid and development system in Cambodia. Strengthen and increase understanding to communities to help them to be able to lobby donors and NGOs and common concept in really protecting community interest Strengthen communities to have ownership and skill in analyzing media system in Cambodia

Background

In 2008, BCV was the lead agency that, in collaborated with ICSO, NGO Forum and DPA, hosted the first ever National Community Media Fair for Environment Week in 2008, and 280 community representatives from 24 provinces and cities to share songs, poems, drawings, photos, video, role plays and posters and to produce media to express a collective voices regarding to environment they live in and the concern they had met. Furthermore, 15 people were trained on how to use digital camera. In 2009, 154 (F: 67) community people were supported and facilitated by BCV in conducting field trip to learn community challenge. 794 (F: 341) participants were involved in meeting and workshop aimed to share experience on the advantage and disadvantage of community forest, land issues, strengthen communities around Prey Lang, mobilize and organize communities, conduct Human Right Day and community Media Forum, produce of report of community Voice on Land Issue “Losing Ground”, support community Voices into development of the National Forest Program and coordinate community Complaints. Moreover, 2,626 (F: 751) communities undertake coordinated national advocacy on issued affecting their rights. In 2010, BCV supported community network and collaborated with NGOs to produce 4,547 copies of Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) report, 2,630 copies of Still Losing Ground and re-published 230 copies of Losing Ground. 57 community people were trained on how to use camera and digital voice recorder, to make storyboard and to be facilitator. BCV’s trainees continually trained to 135 of community people in their areas. Furthermore, BCV supports 357 (F:168) community people through collaboration with its network to run such as UN Mechanisms and Procedure meeting, civil consultation ICERD workshop, Public Forum on land concession and independent movement , Consultation Workshop and meeting on Climate Change, Consultation Workshop Reviewing Still Losing Ground , Press Conference on CERD, IP Press Conference, Press Conference on the Current Action of Royal Government in Elimination of Forest Crime in Cambodia, Press Conference on Irregularity in Provision of Economic Land Concession and NAG meeting. Moreover, 3,125 (F: 2,584) community people as indirect beneficiaries also benefit from those too.122 (F:75) National Advisory Group and community people were supported to conduct 5 Field trips to learn communities concerns, share experience, build and mobilize network. 7 (F: 1) community people were supported in conducting Petition Parade and celebrating Environment Day.

Value

Ownership Teamwork Transparency and Accountability Diversity On-going learning

Mission

BCV’s mission is to provide capacity development, support community media and community advocacy activities to communities and Community Based Organisation (CBOs) in order to empower them to raise their voices to stakeholders (national and international) for solutions.

Vision

Communities are self-reliant and lead their development in a sustainable manner. Communities are linked and networked into a vibrant civil society

Goal

Voices of Communities are widely heard by stakeholders and their issues/ Concerns receives a positive response.