On May 27, 2009, IBJ Cambodia ran a Street Law training program in Village II, Rorkar Knong Commune, Daun Keo City, Takeo Province.  About twenty people attended the three-hour meeting.  Most were women, with about five men attending.

Vandeth and Vannophea asked questions of the attendees rather than lecturing.  One of the most striking moments occurred when Vandeth asked if anyone knew the difference between an NGO lawyer and a private lawyer.  When no one could answer, he informed them that NGO lawyers work free of charge, while private lawyers charge a fee for their services.  This method of conducting the meeting engaged and interested the audience, who participated freely.  They asked many questions, such as: what are the details of a lawyer’s work, at what age may the police arrest someone, how soon and under what conditions can an arrested person contact his or her family, etc.

Two days later, Vannophea held a Street Law training session in Or Svay Check Village, Rorkar Knong Commune, Daun Keo City, Takeo Province.  There were thirty participants, of which twenty were women and ten were men. The attendees were particularly interested in learning their rights in case they are ever arrested.  Many were unsure of what a lawyer does, and asked for clarification.  There were five overarching topics that the participants wanted to discuss.  The first was the rights of a child when that child is accused of killing someone.  For example, how long can they be held in jail?  The second involved details about the services that IBJ can provide.  Third, many asked questions about what to do in case of domestic violence.  The fourth topic was what a family can do when a family member is being held by the police.  Last, many wanted to know whether prison guards are authorized to punish the prisoners.

At both training sessions, attendees expressed satisfaction and pride at learning about their rights by requesting more training session in the future.