Legal Aid of Cambodia (LAC): Access to Justice for the Poor

Founded in 1995, the Legal Aid of Cambodia (LAC) is the largest non-governmental legal aid organization operating in the country. We are uniquely committed to reaching the most vulnerable, maintaining a significant and permanent presence in rural areas, where 80% of Cambodia’s poorest population resides.

Our vision is a just and fair Cambodian society where everyone enjoys equal rights before the law. Our mission is to provide quality legal aid and human rights education to the poor people of Cambodia.

Key Commitments and Impact

LAC ensures access to justice, promotes respect for the law and human rights, and actively seeks legal and judicial reforms to entrench the rule of law within the Cambodian legal system.

Our work centers on three core activities:

• Education: Informing youth and community members about their legal rights.
• Legal Representation: Providing pro bono and no-cost legal assistance to indigent parties to prevent prolonged or unlawful detention, mistreatment, and ensure fair and expedient access to appeals.
• Advocacy: Lobbying for law and judicial reform and advocating for human rights.

Our Programs

LAC delivers its services through four specialized programs, focusing on the most critical needs of the vulnerable:

• General Legal Aid Program
• Land Law and Natural Resources Program
• Child Justice Program
• Women Justice Program

We remain committed to protecting the rights of those most marginalized in our society, including women, children, indigenous peoples, workers, and LGBTIQ individuals.

Strategic Focus for the Future

Moving forward, our strategy is built upon four key themes to maximize our impact and sustainability:

1. Enhance Quality Legal Aid: Continue to focus on and expand our four core programs (Child Justice, Women’s Justice, Land and Natural Resources, and General Legal Aid) to develop a high-quality, comprehensive legal aid system.
2. Support Partners: Build the capacity of our NGO/CBO partners to mitigate their organizational risk and ensure compliance with domestic laws.
3. Develop Organizational Capacity: Equip and support our workforce to meet the evolving needs of our clients, donors, and partners.
4. Strengthen Governance: Fortify our internal structures and sustainability to grow LAC as a service of excellence into the future.

We are optimistic about the future but recognize that major challenges remain until every person in Cambodia can be satisfied that they have equal access to justice.

Mr. Run Saray

Executive Director

Legal Aid of Cambodia