Legal Aid in Cambodia: Practices, Perceptions and Needs - PRAJ

6Legal Aid in Cambodia: Practices, Perceptions and NeedsA Study based on a National Survey• The perceived coverage of legal aid services• Geographical and administrative divisions of Cambodia• Locality of respondents, particularly with respect to both urban and rural clients andpotential users of legal aid services.• Sectors of population• A clear common definition of poor classes• Ownership and authenticityPartially differing questionnaires were submitted to potential clients and legal aid providers(see Appendix B for the questionnaires). The main objectives of the study with respect to bothgroups were:• to analyze their perceptions of the formal and informal justice systems• identify their perception of legal aid• evaluate their knowledge of the nature and availability of legal aid• determine their needs and expectations.Moreover, legal aid providers were also asked about:• the legal aid situation in their province• the main problems they face• their proposals to improve legal aid in CambodiaFollowing open house workshops (chapter 2.4.1 below), face-to-face interviews wereconducted in each of the five regions in April and May 2006. The total sample size was 650,consisting of 500 potential clients (100 per region) and 150 legal aid providers (20 in PhnomPenh and 10 in each of the other 13 provinces involved).The sample selection for potential clients was random, stratified by gender and income group(those selected having household incomes of less than $2,000 per year). The sample selectionfor legal aid providers was random.A sample profile of the potential clients is found in Appendix C. Gender distribution isbalanced, and reflects the population. The age groups are balanced, with 37% less than 35years old, reflecting the profile of potential clients with low incomes. Educational levels arelow: 40% have never been to school or have not finished primary school, and 52% have aprimary school diploma, but have not finished secondary school. The family structure of therespondents shows that 52% of the sample have at least 3 children. Half the sample (mostlymales) consists of heads of households; 70% of the sample say that their family owns someland; and 92% of the sample say they own their house. Interviewees describe the dominantauthority in the community they live in as: the commune or sangkat (89%), the village chief(75%), and the police (63%). 63% of the sample lives in rural areas, 37% in urban orsuburban areas.2.4. METHODS OF DATA COLLECTIONThe main methods of data collection were structured interviews, focus group discussions, keyinformant interviews, and documentary reviews. The use of ‘open house’ workshops (seebelow) was also helpful in the data collection exercise.