The Cambodian Defenders Project (CDP) is the lergest group of legal aid lawyers in Cambodia working to assist the poor and vulnerable, to strengthen the rule of law, to develop the legal system and realize liberal democracy.
CDP was established in 1994 as a project of the International Human Rights Law Group (now renamed as Gobal Rights) in Cambodia. At that time there were few trained lawyers. CDP trained public defenders to represent those appearing before the courts. These defenders received further training to enable them to become lawyers and members of the newly formed Bar Association, in 1997.
CDP become an independent Cambodian NGO in February 2001. Besides its core work of representing the poor in civil and criminal proceedings, CDP advocates fo rsound legislation, trains government officials and other organization staff, works to raise legal wareness and provides protection for disadvantaged groups.
