Cambodian students tour the National Assembly during a parliamentary school outreach in July.The 15 students of Kor high school in Kampong Cham province staged a role play, some acting as Cambodian lawmakers talking about their work to a group of visitors, also played by their own classmates. They based their sketch on a recent tour of Cambodia’s Parliament, which has already inspired some of them to think about how they want to start their career. 

Australian parliamentarian delivers seminar on effective oversight for National Assembly and SenateSharing experiences on institutional checks and balancesPHNOM PENH, 2 SEPT 2009: From Canberra to Cambodia, a key role of any parliament is to oversee the work of the rest of the government to ensure that laws are upheld, budgets spent transparently, and ensure problems in the executive branch are investigated on behalf of constituents.

A Cambodian garment worker takes part in the I am Precious campaign in July.Promoting the self value of garment workers by increasing awareness of their work, abilities and skills is the message behind the I am Precious campaign, launched in July by the International Labour Organization. 

Cambodian indigenous woman Chan Phavy, left, speaks to a trainer during a community conversations course in Mondulkiri province. If adoption of the law on domestic violent gives a legal tool for dealing with perpetrators, getting people to talk more openly about the problem may also be helpful for preventing it from happening in the first place. 

In the midst of the still unfolding global economic crisis, countries worldwide are facing unprecedented pressures. Cambodia remains particularly vulnerable given both its level of development and its reliance on a very narrow economic base. Women, who make up the majority of the garment factory workers who have recently been laid off, are among those most severely affected by this crisis. Turbulent times may lie ahead for Cambodia and other countries with similar characteristics in terms of economic growth, social stability, and the livelihoods of their citizens.