Culturally Relevant Practices: A Case Study of NGOs Working in Cambodia to Combat Human Trafficking

Abstract

Since Cambodia’s first democratic election in 1993, the monetary aid from international donors and non-governmental organizations (NGOS) flowing into the country has brought minimal positive outcomes. It has instead created a culture of aid dependency in conjunction with limited accountability and weakened governance. This exploratory case study aims to examine one particular organizational practice in relation to aid effectiveness and dependency - cultural sensitivity and competency or the relevant skills and knowledge each organization possesses to work with their specific population and context. Between June and August of 2012, semistructured interviews were conducted with eight individuals representing three international NGOs, one local NGO, and the Cambodian Royal Government. Questions were designed to gain a better understanding of the (1) responsibility of the Cambodian government in ensuring NGOs are equipped with culturally sensitive background/knowledge, (2) responsibility of the NGOs in ensuring their staffs are equipped with culturally sensitive background/knowledge, and (3) perception of cultural competency of NGOs in serving their beneficiaries. Preliminary findings showed that issues of cultural sensitivity and competency are a low priority among the Cambodian government and NGOs operating in the country, much less evidence of a system in place to address cultural competency in these organizations.