DW Akademie in Cambodia

Freedom of the press and information are limited in Cambodia, with most TV and radio stations under state control or owned by business people with close ties to the government. Over the last several years, almost all independent media have had to shut down. Self-censorship is common among journalists, given that critical or investigative reporting can have legal repercussions.  

At the same time, digital advances and the Internet offer people alternatives for accessing information. Especially young Cambodians use social media channels such as Facebook or Telegram to stay informed and exchange ideas. For many, Facebook has become the most important source of information.  

Our activities

Within the country's tightly controlled media landscape, social media play an important role for communicating and disseminating information. However, particularly those living in the provinces often lack important skills for working with social media. Many do not recognize disinformation and lack awareness of filter bubbles or digital security issues. 

Download our most recent evaluation report for Cambodia here.

In response, DW Akademie and its Cambodian partners are conducting projects to increase media and information literacy (MIL), primarily among the country's young population. These projects are aimed at students and young adults and use various approaches. 

A key achievement is the inclusion of MIL in the country's school curriculum. Teachers trained at regional and provincial training centers are now disseminating MIL knowledge at high schools, increasingly with the help of newly developed digital tools.

DW Akademie also supports Cambodian media non-governmental organizations in creating MIL-related content for traditional and social media. Their MIL videos, articles and programs are tailor-made for teenagers and young adults to enable them to use social media responsibly. 

Together with the Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM), DW Akademie has trained young Cambodians to become MIL instructors. These offer weekly media training sessions to students at the Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia (PUC) in Phnom Penh as well as MIL block seminars in Siem Reap.   

Together with its partner organizations, DW Akademie is committed to exemplifying and promoting inclusivity. Gender equality and the needs of marginalized groups are a central  aspect of all project activities. In conjunction with the Khmer Youth Association, MIL awareness trainings now reach young people from ethnic communities in Stung Treng and Ratanakiri. To reach people particularly in remote areas, the project increasingly uses digital tools and approaches.

In addition, DW Akademie and its partners are supporting the development of an MIL network that connects all Cambodian MIL stakeholders, the local tech community and digital start-ups. This network is forming a growing Cambodian MIL community,  increasing the project's sustainability and firmly anchoring MIL in the country.  

The Cambodian projects are part of DW Akademie's regional program "Digital Resilience and Dialogue," promoting collaborative project activities throughout Southeast and Central Asia.   

Funding sources: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Program Director: Andreas Grigo

Locations: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Ratanakiri 

Local partners: Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Open Institute, Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia, Khmer Youth Association

Focus:  Media and information literacy, civic participatin and dialogue, participation of disadvantaged groups