API works to promote voices and rights. We address the needs and concerns of vulnerable and marginalised groups through strategic partnerships with community based organisations, local and national Government institutions, international donors, civil society organisations and the private sector. API works with a diverse group of partner organisations and institutions that share its mission to serve the long term democratic and social development needs of Cambodia through the empowerment of people to interact with their Government in order to protect their rights and provide for their needs. To achieve its strategic goals, API receives financial and technical support from a number of international partners.
Our Partners
Donors
Networks
CRSN
As a member of the Cambodia Road Safety Network, API has been successfully advocating for a new traffic law, which was adopted by Parliament in 2014. Together with more than 100 other organisations, we keep focusing on monitoring its implementation and proposing improvements for more safety in traffic.
CRRT
API is a core member of the group called Cambodians for Resource Revenue Transparency, which focuses on access to information on issues of environment and natural resource management. Here, we play a key role in developing our colleagues’ advocacy skills, and we are also part of the Board of Directors.
A2I WG
In the Access to Information Working Group, formerly known as the Freedom of Information Working Group, API has been playing the role of coordinator ever since 2007, when our advocacy efforts for an access to information law started taking concrete shape. This network currently groups almost 20 organisations, its main goal being to improve the draft of the law and finally see it adopted by Parliament.
Logic Asia
The Local Governance Initiative and Network is an international network of state and non-state actors whose aim is to promote a culture of learning and exchange on the state of governance in a local context. It includes elected representatives, training institutions, think tanks, government departments and non-governmental organisations from 12 countries. LOGIN wants local governance to become more participatory, accountable, inclusive and citizen-responsive.
BWG
The Budget Working Group is a national coalition of civil society organisations working on the budget transparency and accountability in Cambodia. Together, we advocate for access to budget information and democratic participation in the budget process. We also exchange budget related information, analyse and discuss critical issues related to the national budget.
CCC
The Cooperation Committee for Cambodia is an umbrella organisation of the Cambodian civil society, currently grouping together more than 150 members. Its main goal is to build capacity and strengthen the cooperation among different NGOs which share the same overarching values, such as good governance, sustainable development and democratic participation.
NACOC
API has been also working as a core member of the National Advocacy Conferences Organising Committee ever since its inception back in 2006. We take part in the annual advocacy conferences which mostly focus on issues related to the good governance of natural resources and are attended by hundreds of Cambodian advocates and NGO representatives, international donors, government officials and the media.
TAI
The Access Initiative is an international network grouping over 200 civil society organisations from almost 50 countries around the world in the intent of improving access to information, public participation and access to justice, especially in matters affecting the environment. API has been a member of TAI since 2010 and regularly joins the regional meetings of the Southeast Asian Chapter of the network.
CPDD
The Coalition for Partnership in Democratic Development, which until 2017 was known as the Working Group for Partnership in Decentralisation (WGPD), is a network of community based organisations (CBOs) participating in sub-national democratic development and helping to improve the Government’s policies and practices. The CPDD provides a platform for CBOs to learn, share and build collective voices in order to become advocates for active and meaningful participation in the decentralisation and de-concentration reform process. API is a member of the Steering Committee of this network, and since 2019 we have been hosting its Secretariat.
Civil Society
API sustains a wide cooperation with a great number of civil society organisations, most of which are our project partners. They are often community based organisations active at the local level of communes or districts, and they are one of the main targets of our steady efforts towards empowerment, active participation to decision making processes and access to information. We are proud of our local partners, and we view this cooperation as an asset, as well as something that makes API unique.
At the same time, we don’t consider our partners as mere passive beneficiaries, but rather as autonomous actors in the broader process of democratisation and modernisation of the Cambodian society. Their voices are important, because they represent citizens as stake and right holders. You can find more details about them and their concerns by accessing the pages dedicated to our main programmes and projects. Among the civil society organisations active and better known at the national level, we would like to mention and give our special thanks to the following partners:
Partnership Principles
API is committed to working together with all national and international institutions who share its values of advocating for positive and peaceful social change. API builds capacity and supports institutions and organisations so they are able to tackle the issues, concerns, and needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups in the target areas. Such partnership arrangements are designed both to achieve results and build local and national capacities. API views partnerships as a relationship of substance between API and one or more organisations involving shared responsibilities in undertaking an action that has mutual benefits. To ensure a smooth run of these activities, API works with its partners acknowledging the following principles of good partnership practices:
Before a project application is submitted to the contracting authority, all partners should understand the application and their role in the project activities;
All partners should understand their respective obligations under the contract if the grant is awarded;
API will consult with its partners regularly and keep them fully informed of the progress of the activities;
All partners should receive copies of the reports – narrative and financial – sent to the contracting authority;
Proposals for substantial changes in the project (e.g. activities, partners, etc.) should be agreed by all partners before being submitted to the contracting authority;
Regular partner meetings should be held in order to ensure engagement, acknowledge challenges and success, reflect and share best practices.
Common projects should be based on a memorandum of understanding with a clear exit strategy, in case either partner wishes to end the agreement.
Government
API also works closely with a number of Cambodian Government organisations in order to contribute to a sustainable democratic development of the country, advocate for human rights, poverty reduction, access to information, better regulation and implementation of existing laws in a number of domains, decentralisation and deconcentration, an efficient and fair management of natural resources, and many other issues. Our partners on the Government side include:
