Mother Nature Cambodia
Awarded 2023

Headquarters: Cambodia
Founded in: 2012
Website: mothernaturecambodia.org
Facebook: @mothernaturecambodia
Contact us for interview requests and further information.


For their fearless and engaging activism to preserve Cambodia’s natural environment in the context of a highly restricted democratic space.

Mother Nature Cambodia is the country’s pre-eminent youth-led environmental rights organisation, working on the frontlines with local communities to preserve nature and livelihoods even in the face of a growing government crackdown on civil society activism. Using innovative techniques such as viral videos, training and the mobilisation of young Cambodians nationally and locally, Mother Nature Cambodia has helped highlight and stop environmental violations. Successful campaigns include stopping the Chinese-led construction of a hydroelectric dam threatening an Indigenous community and helping end the largely corrupted business of sand export from the coastal estuaries of Koh Kong, which was destroying the local ecosystem and fishing grounds.

Founded in 2012, Mother Nature Cambodia’s small and agile core team works to mobilise against destructive and corrupt construction projects. Indicative of the government’s hostile stance against the organisation, 11 of their activists have been jailed and dozens arrested since 2015, while one staffer and the founder, Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, have been forced to leave the country. Local community members campaigning with Mother Nature Cambodia have also been subject to intimidation, legal harassment and surveillance by the police.

Despite the harassment and constant threat of arrest, the organisation has stayed the course and continued to campaign fearlessly. Highlighting the connection between democracy, human rights and environmental activism, Mother Nature Cambodia has emerged as a beacon of hope for future generations, fighting for the preservation of nature and human rights in Cambodia.

This Award doesn’t only belong to the Mother Nature Cambodia team but to all the people in Cambodia who support us, who motivate our work.
Sun Ratha, Chief Financial Officer

canucklhead wrote: ↑Wed Jan 10, 2024 12:01 pm Koh Kong island?