A Cambodian Law Student Hoping to Give Back

September 24, 2021: Today, September 24th, Cambodia celebrates Constitution Day to commemorate the country’s transition to democracy in 1993. A number of Harpswell students and alumnae work to preserve this democracy today in fields like education, journalism and law. We sat down with one of Harpwell’s current students, Phim Nary, a Royal University of Law and Economics junior, to hear more about why she was inspired to study law.

Nary was born and raised in Kampot, a province on the Southwest coast of Cambodia. As a child, Nary was interested in the medical field and hoped to become a doctor. However, once Nary and her community experienced a land conflict, her interests started to change.

“It was devastating when private companies tried to claim our community’s area as their own and attempted to landfill the beach. It badly affected my community, which depends on sea resources for food and income.  My mom, my teachers and other villagers were the victims of the violence of this unlawful land claim. This inspired me to study law in university.” 

While finishing her high school studies, Nary joined a local organization as a volunteer working to protect and empower local residents. She remembers advocating for and raising awareness around the importance of sea biodiversity, a key element in her community’s income. In this role, she honed her passion for advocacy. 

In 2018, Nary was accepted to Cambodia’s most prestigious law program at the Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE), and was admitted to the residential and leadership programs of the Harpswell Foundation. At university, she was introduced to a wide range of specializations within the law, from international conflict and corporate law to civil rights and criminal law. As a student, Nary has been able to explore the very principles and policies that should have protected her community during her youth. The importance of making the law accessible and advocating for the protection of all peoples under the law was highlighted in many of her courses. 

“The responsibility of implementing and practicing law must involve citizens. When people know the law, they know their rights. They are able to exercise their civic rights and know clearly what they are entitled to.  This can reduce conflict and chaos.”

While studying at RULE, Nary has lived in the Harpswell Foundation’s Boeung Trabek dorm, taking advantage of the Core Curriculum courses and building her critical thinking skills. Harpswell’s critical thinking classes are a key element of the Core Curriculum program. These classes require students to work in pairs under the guidance of one or two facilitators, research current topics in the news and prepare a presentation to spark discussion amongst peers. At the end of each class, student presenters give recommendations and pose analytical questions to spark discussion among fellow students.

“Studying law requires a great deal of research. I can’t use just one source to understand a case, I need to read around and collect as much information as possible. Harpswell’s classes trained me to research thoroughly, find the root cause of a problem, scale the problem down and find a specific solution. Through these classes, both my research skills and confidence in speaking in front of my peers are increasing.”

Combining her passion for human rights and the critical thinking and research skills she has gained as a Harpswell student, Nary is graduating this upcoming year with a clear vision for her future:

“I want to work in an organization whose mission is to educate the public on issues of the law that also protects and gives voice to victims of injustice. I want victims voices to be heard and considered.”