EVICTION AND RELOCATION

Eviction and relocation are longstanding issues that have had severe consequences for poor communities in Phnom Penh. The right to housing is a fundamental human right, and one that is often ignored throughout the eviction and relocation process. Since the 1980s, Phnom Penh has witnessed the eviction and relocation of more than 50 communities, around 9,832 families, more than 40,000 people, most of whom suffered and continue to suffer as a result of the process. Indebtedness, loss of livelihood, physical harm and lack of access to healthcare and education services are just some of the abuses which families have had to endure in their fight to secure their right to housing. This research aims to uncover their stories, report upon trends, identify human rights abuses, and make recommendations to improve the process of eviction and relocation in the future.