Cambodian women cut fish to make prahok orb,  the fermented fish paste used in Khmer cuisine. Prahok, Cambodia’s traditional fermented fish paste, is an essential flavor in Khmer cuisine. For generations, the white and boneless prahok orb - or “aromatic prahok” - has been known as the best quality fish paste, which is made by families in Kampong Khlaing commune on the shores of the Tonle Sap Lake. 

Cambodian villagers prepare to drop a culvert in the water to build a fish sanctuary as part of their effort to protect their community lake in Kampong Chhnang province. At night, Khat Khon sails in a small wooden canoe in a lake behind his village in Kampong Chhnang province - not to fish, but to look out for poachers. In return, the 49-year-old Cambodian has received numerous threats to his life but he has just refused to stand down. 

As a staff member of the Women’s Affairs department in Pailin province, Ms. Choup Khemnik used to wait for instructions from her superiors before conducting monitoring and evaluation of activities carried out by her department. Today, she teaches others how to perform those tasks. 

PHNOM PENH, 28 SEPTEMBER 2009: Cambodia has made steady progress in the past decade towards reducing poverty by promoting economic growth and implementing a wide range of reforms. But more updated and reliable data, especially from the sub-national level, can help further improve the monitoring of poverty reduction – the number one issue underlying the Cambodia Millennium Development Goals, (CMDGs). 

Democracy and Political Tolerance the theme of 2009 International Day of Democracy