We would recommend keeping the civil society acting separately from the ECZ. More coordination is needed within the civil society, but not by ECZ. The NGOs should co-ordinate themselves in order to design a consistent national voter education programme.

Given the significant number of rejected ballot papers it would be appropriate to introduce a number of initiatives regarding voter education prior to polling day.

Voter education activities should be further developed and extended throughout the year, not just limited to the short pre-election period. Special attention should be given to programmes targeting women.

Voter education needs to be strengthened and supported, both in terms of facilitating the voting process and assuring the secrecy of vote. Voter education should start earlier and be organised more effectively, through schools, civil society groups and political parties, as well as through the use of radio, interactive theatre and mobile training teams.

Des activités relatives à l’éducation civique à long terme devront être développées dans le cadre institutionnel et non institutionnel. D’un cote, les différents Ministères qui sont responsables des activités d’éducation et formation (Ministère de l’Education, Jeunesse, etc.) devront inclure dans leur curriculum aux différents niveaux les concepts concernant le encadrement de la Démocratie d’une façon générale. L’éducation civique devrai être aussi effectué par les organisations de la société civile intéressés dans la domaine. Des ateliers, publications et des autres activités pourront avoir lieu pour capturer les citoyens qui ne seront pas touchés par l’éducation formelle.

The ECK, with the support of domestic organisations and the international community, should follow-up on the existing programme of long term and widespread voter education, in order to consolidate and build on the work carried out prior to the 2002 elections.

Mener une campagne d’éducation civique et d’information pour le public en général et, plus particulièrement, les jeunes, les femmes et les analphabètes

Cambodia is in need of a comprehensive programme of civic education, increasing awareness among voters of their role in an election and importantly awareness of the institutions they are electing.

Enhancing civic education especially among the peasants and indigenous populations. More than in previous occasions, indigenous people especially women
have shown to an extraordinary degree the political will to register, getting mobilized during the campaign and turn out on elections day. Certain areas of
citizen participation seem of particular importance such as the protection of fundamental rights and the procedures to deal with public authorities, both in getting
information and presenting complaints. On this latter respect, it is not just by change that the largest number of all electoral complaints brought before the electoral
authorities was discarded on the ground of the complainant’s “lack of active legitimacy.”

Efforts should be made to increase public awareness of what can be expected from political representatives and leaders.

Civic and voter education should be conducted by state bodies (such as education and public information services) and civil society organisations. The police and National
Intelligence Bureau (NIB) should not be involved in such work.

The CNE should give immediate priority to the development of in-depth civic education programs targeting the entire voting population on the general functioning of the VMs. These programs should be integrated with specific voter information campaigns in the pre-electoral periods.

Voter education should be strengthened and supported, both in terms of facilitating the voting process and assuring the secrecy of vote. It should start much earlier and be organised more effectively, through schools, civil society groups and political parties, as well as through the use of radio, interactive theatre and mobile training teams.

Educational programmes on human rights, citizenship and fundamental rights, targeting the young generations, should be introduced into school curricula.

L’éducation civique de la population devrait notamment insister sur la notion de devoir civique des citoyens, en insistant sur la liberté et le secret du vote – l’apposition d’une empreinte digitale sur le bulletin de vote étant parfois source de craintes injustifiées, l’identification des électeurs par leurs empreintes digitales n’étant ni réalisable techniquement, compte tenu des moyens disponibles, ni envisageable.

Les textes constitutifs du cadre légal des élections devraient être accessibles au public, dans les langues compréhensibles par les populations. Compte du taux important d’illettrisme, les principales dispositions, qu’elles portent sur les procédures de vote ou sur les droits et obligations des électeurs et des candidats, doivent également être incluses dans les campagnes de sensibilisation et de vulgarisation.

The IEC, with the support of international advisors, should prepare and implement a large-scale public awareness campaign to inform voters effectively on the institutions emerging from elections.

Greater efforts should be made to extend voter education activities to both rural and remote parts of the country.

The EU EOM proposes that the CNE extend the period of the public testing campaigns of the voting machines right until a few days before to the elections. In this manner, it would help to familiarise voters with the technology and lead to a better understanding of the electronic voting system. The CNE could organise this voter education campaign together with national civil society organisations.

Civic and Voter Education campaigns should receive ample financial support allowing for the design and implementation of programmes promoting civil and political rights throughout the entire electoral cycle. Campaigns targeting youth and first time voters, especially those living in more remote areas of the country, should take precedence. Furthermore, involvement of traditional authorities, such as Régulos and local social structures, is vital for the access to tabancas where illiteracy rates are high and national TV and written media have little penetration or no expression at all. Civic education campaigns need to be extended to effectively cover all national territory, including remote areas in the Tomabali and Bijagós regions. As seen during the 2008 civic education projects funded by the EC, cascade training to local organizations and groups should be implemented well ahead of the pre-election period. Local think-tanks such as the “Cidadãos de Boa Vontade”, youth and women NGOs, the CNE and the School of Law should be called on to give input to the design of different campaigns targeting specific electorates. Activities should also include comprehensive programmes in schools and media pertaining to issues of civic and political rights and understanding of the democratic process.

En los grandes recintos electorales, deberían existir centros de información para el votante, con el fin de informar a los electores de la ubicación de su Junta Receptora del Voto.

Desirable - Civil society organisations should be encouraged to continue their programs of civic education to encourage more open political debate, political tolerance and greater understanding of the democratic process, particularly focusing on rural areas.
Addressed to - CNE; NGOs.
Possible Improvements Suggested:
- Civic education agents should be given refresher training prior to the next election. They would also benefit from spot visits from trainers and on the job training where possible.
Timeline - To start within six months.

A clearer distinction between civic education and voter information is recommended. Civic education should focus on universally accepted concepts of democracy, good governance, the separation of powers of the state, the role of the Parliament, the rights and duties of a citizen and should also include a focus on individual and minority rights.

Government institutions, including NEC and civil society organisations should prioritise comprehensive and targeted civic education initiatives taking into account the relatively low literacy rates in Cambodia. Such initiatives could be integrated in curricula offered by public and private education institutions at all levels.

More extensive and permanent voter and civic education should be introduced throughout the year to inform and educate voters of both their rights as voters as well as registration and voting procedures. The responsible institutions should also ensure this reaches grass roots level and the authorities provide an adequate budget for these activities to be undertaken.