Only three-quarters of Cambodian youth surveyed in 2010 had heard of parliament, but of those, only two-thirds knew what it does.
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
“If our youth lack the knowledge of democratic institutions, our youth do not really participate in national construction.”
UNDP officials said Thursday that Cambodia’s youth lack knowledge of the country’s democratic institutions and their roles, following a nationwide survey last year.
The UNDP and BBC World Service Trust interviewed some 2,000 Cambodian youth in November 2010 to assess their knowledge of Cambodian democracy.
“Many young people find it difficult to explain the role of important democratic institutions, such as parliament,” Elena Tischenko, UNDP country director, told reporters Thursday, announcing the results of the survey.
While many of the 14- to 24-year-olds who were surveyed said they would optimistic of the direction of the country, many said they lacked meaningful participation in the democratic process or civic engagement.
“A lack of knowledge and understanding of democratic processes and difficulties expressing issues of concern are among the obstacles to greater youth participation as citizens,” a report of the survey said.
“Respondents’ knowledge of democratic institutions and their roles was very limited, particularly of elected bodies such as the parliament and commune councils,” it said.
Only three-quarters of those surveyed had heard of parliament, but of those, only two-thirds knew what it does.
While nearly all of the youths had heard of commune councils, nearly a third did not know what they do. About half of those surveyed who were eligible to vote in commune elections in 2007 actually did, the survey found, and only one in five eligible young voters were registered.
Awareness of human rights, democracy and civic engagement was “mixed,” the survey found. “Many young people who had heard the terms did not know how to define them.”
The survey cited “community life, safety, and security” as main concerns of the young, “followed by concerns about poverty, natural resources, land conflicts and traffic accidents, but to a much lesser degree.”
“If our youth lack the knowledge of democratic institutions, our youth do not really participate in national construction,” said Soun Sovan, project manager of good governance at the Khmer Institute for Democracy. “And the democratic process does not progress for the better.”
Tith Sothea, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said the survey reflected the “opinion” of a donor organization, but he added that the government was working to promote better understanding of democracy, human rights and law through TV.
6 comments:
do not isolate cambodia if you want cambodia to be like the rest of the world. this is what you get for isolating cambodia for too long! stop isolating cambodia, ok!
What do you expect in a socialist
( communist ) country like Cambodia? Hun Sen makes laws and the lawmakers rubberstamp them, the king signs it. The Yuons rule.
End of story.
SI ENG KRUY
isolating cambodia too long is like letting it live in the jungle with no law, so can't expect it to be civilized or tamed, you know! that's what you get for keeping wanting to keep cambodia in isolation, i told you so! wake up, people, do not keep cambodia isolation too long already, ok!
I share responsible for Cambodian youth lacking Democracy knowledge in Cambodia. Instead of going back to my homeland to help rebuilding my country, I choose to remain living in the US enjoying the good life while majority of Khmers is continue to suffering. I am feeling very shameful that I refuse to sacrifice my own well being for the sake of the Khmer people. I am not able to figure it out why I continue to think Cambodia will get better in time while label myself as Khmer yet I continueing to watching from a far distance. Living in the foreign land over 30 years, I no longer have my identity and myself respect will be gone forever. Every day, I always keep asking myself what is the purpose of my existence if living is meaningless. Beside driping my tears, I would like to apologize to all Khmer to please forgive me for not able to make you proud in this life time.
Useless Khmer
Even in the US, politic is not every body dream. You can have the opportunity but it doesn't meant you can have whatever you wanted, you have to earn it, it is the key. You have realize that all politician here are millionairs and well connected. Eventhough the majority of the people are middle class and poor, but the elected official are rich people. You can think about that !!!!
It is Cambodian choice that they don't want to get involve with politic, they don't have to do it. it is their freedom to choose. Do you think every one in the US vote during the election ??? I don't think so. That doesn't meant they are a bad citizen.
What have you learned so far about Cambodian politic in the past ????
Politic is just like gambling, you have to pick the winning side all the time. If you pick the lossing side, you can get killed in Cambodia !!!!!
This is the reason why most of Cambodian rather focus on making a living instead of politic !!!!
All, they ask for is peace, then they can take care the rest. Cambodian get use to self sufficient instead of rely on gov. to support them.
Cambodia is a fake neutral kingdom.
it is a communist dictatorship under
Hun Sen rule.He used absolute power.
កម្ពុជាជារាជាណាចក្រអព្យាក្រឹតក្លែងក្លាយ។
គឺជាកុម្មុយនិស្តផ្ដាច់ការក្រោមការត្រួតត្រារបស់
ហ៊ុន សែន។វាបានប្រើអំណាចលិទ្ធផ្ដាច់ការទៅ
លើគ្រប់អង្គការរដ្ធខ្មែរ។
Le royaume du Cambodge est un neutre falsifié pays.C'est une communiste dictature et qui est
controllé par Hun Sen.
Hun Sen est un dictateur.
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