Gender Democracy - Heinrich Böll Stiftung

Gender Democracy in Cambodia

Photo by: HBF Cambodia

Introduction

Despite considerable progress in the past decade, Cambodian women’s participation in political institutions as well as non-formal bodies of political representation remains limited. In response, the Cambodia Gender Democracy program of the Heinrich Böll Foundation is formulated around two main objectives:

• Contribute to the gender discourse at the national level, in order to shape a genuine national gender democracy perspective. This involves linking gender with environment, as women are the primary actors in agriculture and play a key role in the management of natural resources.
• Enhance rural women’s participation in politics through the development of grassroots forms of representation, and increase their capacity to push their own agenda for emancipation and the development of their communities.

International gender concepts and terminology are not always compatible within the local context, requiring pioneering work to foster a dialogue between various societal groups and stakeholders. The Cambodia Country office uses alternative media such as film and radio in addition to usual dialogue methods to expand the debate, provoke new perspectives, and integrate new, young activists.

Promoting Women's Political Participation

Radio Feature

Radio Feature with a Cambodian artist

March 1, 2011 - The cambodian artist Buth Chan Anochea in a Radio Feature about her paintings on the exhibition “Hey sister, where are you going?” where ten female artists present their masterpieces, which express women in society. Produced by HONG Channpheaktra and MAK Kuleka more»

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Interview

Young Cambodian Female Artist

- October 15, 2010 - Chan Dina is a young Cambodian female artist who will express her variouse artworks at one shoppingmall where the other 10 Cambodian female artists' artwoks will be shown to the public, too. more»

Radio Program FM 93.5

Women's Voices Women's Choices

- November 25, 2010 - The radio program "Women's Voices, Women's Choices" will be broadcasted in Khmer Language every two weeks on Sunday from 11am to 12am on FM 93.5. It addresses various topics such as education, living standard, small business, women’s rights, environment, security and others from the viewpoint of women in Cambodia.

Please click the play button on the audio taskbar for listening to the broadcast from November 7, 2010.

[To view the Player you will need to have Javascript turned on and have Flash-Player 9 or better installed.]

Interview

Young Cambodian Female Artist

- October 5, 2010 - "Hey Sister, Where are you going?!" is an art exhibition sponsered and organized by Heinrich Böll Foundation in Cambodia. Starting on the 22nd October, there will be displayed works from 11 Cambodian female artists in the Sovanna Mall in Phnom Penh. more»

article

Domestic Violence is not seen as a crime

Although the law on against domestic violence was put into action in 2005, according to women at the grassroot level, it is still a common issue in many marriages.

Written by: Aing Sokroeun more»

Publication

Gender politics makes a difference: Experiences of the Heinrich Böll Foundation across the world

- June 21, 2010 - Cambodia - Pioneering work

When asked by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Cambodian women from very different spheres of life evaluated the fundamental problems of women in their country as being a lack of access to education and thus high illiteracy rates, economic dependency, domestic violence, and hierarchical gender relations founded on traditional role stereotypes. more»

Event

Launching of Action Research on Indigenous Women’s Political Participation

- June 21, 2010 - Parliamentarians, representatives of the Ministries of Interior and Women’s Affairs, researchers and staff of local and international organizations and indigenous women from four provinces were among the participants, when the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the German Technical Cooperation supported the Launch of the Action Research on “Promoting Political Participation of Indigenous Women in Cambodia” organized by the Committee to Promote Women in Politics.

Article written by AING Sokroeun (HBF) and TOUCH Thavrith (GTZ ARDP) more»

case study

Women issues in systematic land registration

- June 22, 2010 - Mrs. Sun Phoeung aged 38 works as commune councilor in Chey commune in Kampong Thom province. She is in charge of women’s affairs and children. Becoming a member of the Women Political Activist Network has changed her life. “Without having knowledge of women’s rights I might have committed suicide” confesses Phoeung, looking back at a very difficult time in her life. more»

Gender in Natural Resources Management

Research Paper

Women’s Involvement in Policy Implementation: Experiences from Gender Mainstreaming Policy on Community Fisheries Management in Cambodia

June 22, 2010 - ‘Srey bangvil chankran min chum’, according to this old Khmer expression women are seen as being too weak to involve in work beyond the household. However, as this case study conducted by the LEARNING INSTITUTE shows women contribute significantly to the total inland fish production in Cambodia. They not only involve in small-scale fishing but take on other income-generating activities such as gathering of aquatic plants and animals, fish culture, fish processing, fish marketing, fish trading, and making of fishing gear. Authors: CHAP Sopanha, TEP Chansothea, MENG Kimsan and SIV Sokngy more»

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