Profile

Banteay Srei1 (‘Citadel of Women’) is a Cambodian NGO with a background of over nineteen years of experience working with poor Cambodian women in rural areas and their communities to bring about economic and social change. Banteay Srei evolved from an Australian NGO, International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA).

Rights-based approaches focus on raising levels of accountability in the development process by identifying the entitlements of those in the community and those who have an obligation or duty to fulfill these rights.

ABS consciously plans from the beginning of it’s involvement in a community how it will be able to leave, and what capacities need to be developed so key activities can increasingly operate without support.

Alongside knowledge of their rights, BS seeks to build the communities capacity and confidence to act in support of those rights. There is a continual learning cycle, where the community is encouraged to analyse where it needs support and training that BS can facilitate.

Understanding the community, and finding the right people to be activists that can mobilize others is key to making the programme successful. Considerable time is taken getting to know the community and choosing appropriate people to act as community facilitators.

BS strives to work together in partnership with communities, local authorities and other organisations wherever this is possible. It has good relationships within the NGO community, and mutually beneficial partnerships with Action Aid, DCA, and DED.

Local Organizations, NGO in Siem Reap