English
ខ្មែរ
About STT’s Strategic Approaches
STT takes a non-partisan, human rights-based approach to improve the capacity of urban poor communities in claiming their right to adequate housing and secure tenure. STT’s support to urban poor and vulnerable communities is based on the principle that community advocacy activities should aim to increase community knowledge and ownership. Advocacy must be community-initiated and focus on strengthening the local network, solidarity ties, and the leadership of the community.
STT’s approach to climate change and environmental issues is to raise awareness and build resilience at the community level. All STT’s actions are based on the values of housing rights, evidence-based research, professionalism, transparency and accountability.
STT seeks to contribute to Cambodia’s fulfilment of its international obligations and national policies, with respect to the rights of urban poor communities to secure land tenure and adequate housing. Cambodia’s development objectives, with respect to land tenure and adequate housing are reflected in the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Cambodia’s human rights commitments, and through national policies and laws – such as the Cambodian Land Law, which is currently being updated, today, in 2025.
STT currently has two overarching programs: the Rights to the City Program, and the Advocacy and Outreach Program.
Rights to the City Program (R2C)
The program oversees the production of evidence-based advocacy tools such as participatory community mapping, research, urban poor housing and infrastructure upgrading, community profiling and legal advice sheets. These can be used to advocate for the improvement of land and housing rights in urban and vulnerable areas, especially those at risk of eviction. In order to achieve the goal of this program, the R2C runs three projects:
1. Mapping and Urban Initiative – this project is in charge of facilitating and producing participatory community maps and community housing designs.
2. Community Action Research – this project involves a wide-range of research activities which mainly focus on urban development, land disputes, climate change mitigation, the ongoing impacts of the filling of Phnom Penh’s lakes, and other related topics.
3. Land and Housing Rights – this project primarily focuses on community empowerment through legal analysis, community profiling and investigating urban land disputes.
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Advocacy and Outreach Program (AOP)
The objective of this program is to raise public awareness, empower communities and establish networks amongst strategic partners at local, regional and international levels. This is part of advocacy efforts with the ultimate goal of improving land and housing rights for urban and vulnerable communities. The program is structured into three main components
1. Community ICT and Media – the project ensures that issues and concerns of communities are widely heard by relevant stakeholders and public audiences. Communities must be capable of using social media in a safe way especially when sharing information and concerns to stakeholders.
2. Community Empowerment and Networking – communities organise their own advocacy activities and work together to demand their land and housing rights. STT helps communities work as a network and receive support while implementing their advocacy activities.
