Giving Compass' Take:

• Leonie Kijewski details the EU's suspension of Cambodia trade privileges after recent political activity caused concern over human rights.

• How might this impact the lives of workers in Cambodia? What will it do for human rights progress, not just in Cambodia? What can we do to support affected citizens in the wake of the suspension?

• Discover effective ways to support communities in Cambodia and across the surrounding area.

Cambodia's government is preparing for the European Union to partially and temporarily remove the country's Everything But Arms (EBA) trade privileges on Wednesday, in the wake of a 2018 political crackdown.

The EU warned Cambodia last February it would withdraw the scheme unless it made more effort to improve the human rights situation.

The EBA entitles 47 countries recognised as least developed by the United Nations to export goods other than weapons to the EU, tariff-free.

The EBA was thrust into the limelight after the leader of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, Kem Sokha, was arrested and accused of treason in September 2017 and his party dissolved two months later. Multiple media outlets were also forced to close, and journalists and activists arrested leaving the governing party to take all the seats in Parliament when elections took place in July 2018.

n total, the labour rights expert said, about 25 percent of total Cambodian exports to the EU would be targeted. A partial suspension, Vanpeperstraete said, "does not kill the economy".

Chhen Vanna, a food vendor outside a different factory, said she knew about the issue through Facebook. She speculated that some of the workers might be aware of the discussions, but were unwilling to talk. "It's good for me, I'm old. I'm not afraid. But maybe the young ones are afraid," she said. "If we lose EBA, our life might be finished."

The government has rejected criticism, saying it had acted in accordance with Cambodian law.

"Between February and August we will see some intense poker between the EU, Cambodia and also US. A lot will depend on whether the Government of Cambodia proposes and implements convincing and sustainable steps forward, and how impressed the rest are," he said.

Read the full article about the EU's suspension of trade with Cambodia by Leonie Kijewski at Aljazeera.