General

Indigenous people are group of people living in the territory of the Kingdom of Cambodia, whose have particular ethnic, social culture economic unity and practice their traditional lifestyles according to custom. Their agriculture and plantation on the plots of land they have occupied are done according to collectively customary usage of the land. In Cambodia, there are diverse of indigenous people such as the Bunong, Kuoy, Tumpong, Chary, Kroeng, Brao, Kavat. Totally of 24 groups. The indigenous people practices different culture tradition custom belief and languages according to their particular group. In Cambodia there are many organization and institutions that work on indigenous people in capacity building, various knowledge about the rights to freedom of expression, political rights, the rights access to social protection. Although many relevant organization and institutions paid attention on indigenouswomen but their problem have not been responded yet. Seeing this, minority women from different indigenous group have common idea to establish the indigenous women network to voice their issues and concems and, hold the government and private sector to account and protect. The benefit of their communities. On 02 September 2018 women’ group organized a consultation workshop on the establishment of the first women’s network in Cambodia, coordinated by the Cambodia Indigenous People Alliance (CIPA), Cambodia Indigenous People Organization (CIPO) Highlander Association (HA). Following its inception, the women’s group received supported from International Indigenous Women Forum (IIWF) through the Cambodia Indigenous People’ financial system to carry out its activity starting in April 2019. In 2020 the women’s group have prepared its action plan according to the old plan from last year, discussed with the members who do not yet have the budget to support and implement out the activity. For the women’s team, there are many issues and needs that must be push and addressed indigenous communities, such as land rights issues decimation issue, economic, education, mining issue andclimate change issue. The project was developed by seeing the impact of mining investment in Mondulkiri and its potential impacts on community’s livelihood, heath, and environment and to empower IP women to take control and protect their resources and, ensure social and, environmental safeguarding. In addition, the women would like to have frequent training or meeting with communities livingaround mining investment area to strengthen their capacity to recognize their rights to participate in the early stages of researches and environmental assessment. Community awareness on the impact prevention methods are important to seek intervention from the company and the ministry of themines and energy to take strict action against the activities of its workers who violate the national law. The strengthening IP women network in the mining-affected area of communities, forests communities, and indigenous collective communities is crucialto voice their concems and hold the government and company accountable. Recently, the Cambodian government through the ministry of Mine and Energy has provided mining investment license to private companies to boost the Cambodian economy as a senior official of the Ministry of Mines and Energy has recently confirmed about the first discovery of an international-scale gold mine in Mondulkiri Province. Speaking at a press conference on the morning of April 21, 2020, Mr. Yos Monirath, Director General of the General Department of Mines of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, stated: A gold mine is located in Okhvav, Kev Seima district, Mondulkiri province. In July 2018, the government decided to grant a mining license to an Australian company called Renaissance Minerals (Cambodia) for a 15-year exploration area of 11.5 square kilometers in O'Khvav, Keo Seima district, Mondulkiri province. According to Emerald Resources, Western Australia has some of policies to help the community such as: 1. Establishingand contribute to a fund for community development for the benefit of the community in the project area. 2. Seek the support of major suppliers and contractor to also contribute to the fund 3. Fund governed by a committee of local senior stakeholder including company representative of communities and NGOs organization. 4. Applications from local community will be assessed in accordance with community needs. 5. School Nursery initiative as a way for students to raise funds for their school, to increase environmental awareness in young people andprovide trees for future rehabilitation activities. 6. An Industry Partner supporting the Lion Water Sanitation Initiative in Obenlieu Commune, installing latrines and water filters in homes. Objectives (intermediate impact) Strengthened the rights and collective voice of indigenous women to influence and prevent from the potential impact of mining investment.

General

CIPO-CIWA in partnering with Oxfam in Cambodia is implementing the project namely “Strengthening the rights and collective voice ofIP to prevent their rights from the impact of mining investment in Keo Seima District, Mondulkiri province” In Cambodia there are many organization and institutions that work on indigenous people in capacity building, various knowledge about the rights to freedomof expression, political rights, the rights access to social protection. Although many relevant organization andinstitutions paid attention on indigenous women, but their problem have not been responded yet. Seeing this, minority women from different indigenous group have common idea to establish the indigenous women network to voice their issues and concerns and,hold the government and private sector to account and protect. The benefit of their communities. On 02 September 2018 women’ group organized a consultation workshop on the establishment of the first women’s network in Cambodia, coordinated by the Cambodia Indigenous People Alliance (CIPA), Cambodia Indigenous People Organization (CIPO) Highlander Association (HA). Following its inception, the women’s group received supported from International Indigenous Women Forum (IIWF) through the Cambodia IndigenousPeople’ financial system to carry out its activity starting in April 2019. In 2020 the women’s group have prepared its action plan according to the old plan from last year, discussed with the members who do not yet have the budget to support and implement out the activity. For the women’s team, there are many issues and needs that must be push and addressed indigenous communities, such as land rights issues decimation issue, economic, education, mining issue and climate change issue. The project was developed by CIPO-CIWWG seeing the impact of mining investment in Mondulkiri and its potential impacts on community’s livelihood, heath, and environment and to empower IP women to take control and protect their resources and, ensure social and, environmentalsafeguarding. In addition, the women would like to have frequent training or meeting with communities living around mining investment area to strengthen their capacity to recognize their rights to participate in the early stages of research and environmentalassessment. Community awareness on the impact prevention methods are important to seek intervention from the company and the ministry of the mines and energy to take strict action against the activities of its workers who violate the national law. The strengthening IP women network in the mining-affected area of communities, forests communities,and indigenous collective communities is crucial to voice their concerns and hold the government and company accountable. The goal of the project is that IPwomenand men realized their rights to protect their community and environment from potential mining impacts. To reach this goal the project aims to strengthen the rights and collective voice of indigenous women to influence and prevent from the potential impact of mining investment. Three expected outcomes of the project are: 1: Strengthened indigenous women solidarity, movement and common voice of all level; 2: Indigenous women leaders living in/around the Okvav commune, Keo Seima district, MondulkiriProvinceare able to monitor water quality resulting from mining operation using Water Testing Tool and 3: IP women are networkedand able to voice their issues and concerns to government and mining company for accountable mining.

General

Oxfam West Africa Regional Platform will use this contribution to help the work of two partners: WILDAF and ROPPA. WILDAF is a pan African NGO meaning Women in Law and Development in Africa. This partner will use the contribution for the following activities: # Monitor the gender mainstreaming in the implementation of ECOWAS policies, programs, plans and budgets to ensure implementation. # Advocate for policy and legal reforms on gender and women#s rights, as well as changes in practices, which are harmful to women. # Bring campaigning support and expertise to regional campaigns on women#s land rights, women#s smallholder farmer#s rights and violence against women. ROPPA is an initiative from farmers# organizations and agricultural producers across West Africa. This contribution will be used to organize its 7th convention for its 117 members. The main objective of the convention is to adopt measures, tools andcreate the necessary conditions, in accordance with the statutes of the network, to allow ROPPA to pursue effectively his action ofpromotion and defence of the family farms. One of the ways to do this is to inform and sensitize members of the network on key strategic issues and current challenges facing family farming through sharing of experiences and collective learning around a number of major critical issues for farms family.