CONFERENCE  AND AWARENESS PROGRAMME ON

“EQUALITY RIGHT” OF WOMEN AND MEN PARTICIPATE IN THE SOCIETY

The 94^th Anniversary of International Women Day 8 March

March 6, 2004  at Chaktomuk Theater

[Back]        [Home]

 Co-organized by The Gender Forum of the NGO Forum on Cambodia and The NGO Committee on CEDAW

Introduction

Decades of chronic civil war had left Cambodia scarred, both mentally and physically. The flood of women to Phnom Penh in search of work has led to an increase in human trafficking of both women and children. Though there are some attempts by NGOs, government institutions and international bodies to eliminate human trafficking, a high level of human trafficking remains. Most of the victims are women and children.

Estimates of the number of trafficked women and children in Cambodia vary greatly.  According to a 2002 study by Steinfatt, Baker and Beesey, the estimated number of sex workers in Cambodia is 20,829, including 5,250 in Phnom Penh.  A further study conducted by Steinfatt in 2003 estimated the number of trafficked women and children as approximately 2,000.  According the other figures circulating since the late 1990s, there are as many as 80,000 to 100,000 trafficked women and children in Cambodia.  

The Royal Government of Cambodia’s draft Gender Assessment in Cambodia in 2003, prepared in cooperation with the World Bank, UNIFEM and UNDP found that there were at least 5,000 child sex workers in Phnom Penh. 

According to the Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS 2000), around 23% of ever-married women have experienced violence from their husbands. 

Almost everyday, newspapers report cases of sexual abuse of women and children, which were not known to occur in the past.  Sexual abuse happens almost everywhere, both in the capital and in the provinces.  This appears linked to the import of foreign culture, through magazines, video-cassettes, and the Internet, as well as peer group pressure and increased use of drugs.  In the year 2003, the human rights NGO, ADHOC, received 356 reported cases of sexual abuse.   In the same year, the Cambodian Women’s Crisis Center had 408 rape cases reported to their organization.  52 % of the victims were girls under 18 years of age.[1] Rape cases appear to be increasing nationwide. 

Internationally, there are fewer women represented in decision-making positions than men.  Women lack access to natural resources, to land titles, property and opportunities for self-development.

Women in Cambodia are customarily seen as men’s subordinates. Most people in the society think that domestic violence is a family issue or individual problem, so people rarely intervene to help the victims.  According to Gender Forum discussions, and the observations of groups like the Project Against Domestic Violence (PADV), the real of cause of violence comes from the power and control of men over women (patriarchy).

Only when women and men achieve equity and equal rights will there be no violence, poverty reduction will be improved and the whole society will be peacefully developed in the new millennium. 

Therefore, this year, the Gender Forum of the NGO Forum and the NGO on CEDAW[2] Committee has decided to organize a conference on “International Women’s Day” on the topic: “Equal rights: the better understanding of equity and equal rights in order to reduce violence against women and children.”

The participants for this workshop were invited from the new National Assembly members, relevant line ministries and NGOs working on gender issues, human rights and advocacy.

Narrative Report of Activities                                                    [Top]

On March 6, 2004 under the cooperation between The Gender Forum of NGO Forum and The NGO Committee on CEDAW has organized the 95th Anniversary of the International Women's Day Celebration 8 March, 2004 which has been held in Chatomuk Theatre on "Equality Rights" of men and women participate in the societies.   This event has been participated crowdly from National Assembly members, government officials from relevant ministries, local authorities, NGOs and community representative. The total participants in this event are 981 which 648 are women and 333 are men.

The purposes of this event are to disseminate the awareness to promote the equality rights of women and children participated in the social activities and protecting the women's rights in linking with the topic of the Royal Government on "Khmer Women Khmer Product".  In addition the purpose is as follows:

1-     To promote the liberation of women;

2-     To speak out about violence against women and children and against drug abuse;

3-     To maintain and promote the morality and culture of Cambodian society;

4-     To eliminate discrimination against women and children;

5-     To convey the concerns and recommendations of Women’s NGOs on gender issues to the new National Assembly members and the relevance ministries

A-    Distinguished chairs of the event from The Royal Government of Cambodia:

-   Opening Remarks by H.E. Ms Men Sam On, National Assembly member.

-   Closing Remarks by H.E. Ms. Mua Sochua, Minister of Ministry of Women and Veteran affairs.

B-    Distinguished speakers from the NGOs and associations:

-   Ms. Ung Chanthol, Executive Director of Cambodia Women Crisis Center provided a speech on "equality  discrimination and special measures".

-   Ms. Hor Phally, Executive Director, Project Against Domestic Violence provided a speech on Domestic Violence human trafficking, and rape.

-   Ms. Touch Lina, Deputy Director of FLOW provided a speech on drug.

-   H.E Mr. Moek Dara, Head of municipal department against drugs of the Ministry of Interior.

-    H.E. Ms. Unn Sokunthea, Head of department against trafficking of the Ministry of Interior.

Contact Person for this program are:

                  Ms. Ek Sophanna/Gender Project Coordinator, NGO Forum, Tel : 023-994063 or Phone/Fax:023-214429.

                            Ms. Chea Samrach, Secretary of the NGOs Committee on CEDAW, Tel:023-212429. 

C- Process of the Conference

After Ms. Pok Nanda, Executive Director of Women for Prosperity and chair of the NGO committee on CEDAW and on behalf of Gender Forum of NGO Forum presented on the history of the International Women's Day and the objective of the conference then H.E. Ms. Men Sam Onn, National Assembly member has provide a very important and meaningful speech to open the conference such as H.E. Men Sam Onn National Assembly has a commitment and attention on domestic violence and women's rights participated in the development of Cambodia Society. In the conference there also a presentation behind the scene from the victim on their experiences on being trafficked abused and provide recommendation to the Government and NGOs.  Beside this the important thing is having questions and answer from speakers and discuss on the concerns to the topic in the presentations. 

After Question and Answers H.E. Mua Sochua, Minister of Ministry of Women's Veterans'Affairs offered a closing remarks and speech on the role of women in the public Affairs....

In the evening program, is the awareness and quizshow programme which has modern song, role play on the awareness of domestic violence, drug, trafficking, rape and discrimination women and children and comedian joking.

After event has finished successfully we have learned the lacking point and good points as follows:

1-     Good points:                    [Top]

-   In the conference there are a crowd people from Senate, national assembly government official commune council and the community people and NGOs staff.

-   The victim dare to speak out to be heard and make the participant understand the issues on physical violence, trafficking and the situation of women immigration.

-   Speakers from the government official has share the answer the questions very well.

-   Role play and modern music has performed very well.

-   The community people dare to answer the quize questions

-   The participants wrote in the evaluation as appreciation in organization this conference and awareness programme and request to held this important activities every year.

 2-     The lacking points:                   [Top]

-   The confirmation from Municipal governor is not clear and the awareness program can not make in the public so less participant from the public.

-   The organization food is late due to their transportation.

-   The participation from Senate, National Assembly, Government official, is less than expected. so we do not have enough quorum to proposed any law.

-   Less numbers of community people answer the questions but having more staff of NGOs answer the questions

 3-      Recommendation:                   [Top]

The Gender Forum of the NGO Forum on Cambodia and The NGOs committee on CEDAW has raised the recommendations as follows:

1-     To establish enough law to protect women's rights and children as adopting of domestic violence law.

2-     Law enforcement on trafficking, rape, marriage and other laws.

3-     Appeal to participate together in education to choose non-violence to solve the problem by providing a model for family neighbor school and the whole community.

4-     Take a strong measure on importing and produce the drug in Cambodia.

5-     Take attention to education dissemination of using the drug and rehabilitation of the used drug in Cambodia.

6-     Prepare a place to treat the used drug patient.

7-     Making a wheel chair access for disable people to access to building an chair for school, seat in the car, train, airoplane, boat, et

8-     Assist in organizing the information to reach the disable deaf and non-speaking people. 

9-     Take attention to disable women in the society especially health, education and law.

10-  Consider in making law and national policy for blind people and serious disable which is need to be base on their ability especially the disable women.  In the national plan and the plan of Ministry of Women and Veteran's Affairs should include disable women at all level.

11- Policy to include disable candidate in the village leader in the year 2004.

12- Ministry interior should amend the article 19 of Commune Council election law) to include the list of disable candidates in the next commune council mandate.

 Output to be measured                    [Top]

1-     How many National Assembly members participated in this event?  There are 13 members from National Assembly.

2-     How many local authorities participated in this event? There are 245 participants from  local authorities in Phnom Penh and provinces.

3-     How many National Assembly members responded or asked anything at the event? There are a few members of National Assembly respond the question raised.

4-     How was the facilitation of dialogue with National Assembly members? It was very good facilitation as Ms. Sieng Huy, Director of National Issues Forum of the Center for social development has performed very good the dialoques.

5-     How many male and female participants were there? There are 333 are men and 648 are women participate in the event.

6-     Were the Gender Forum and CEDAW committee happy with the result? Yes, We both felt that we have success our goal in advocacy on gender issues and promoting international women day and providing awareness to the public on Women's rights.

7-     Did the Gender Forum and CEDAW committee receive good remarks regarding their advocacy purpose in this event? yes we have receive a requests from participant to organize this type of activities every year.

8-     How efficient was the security arrangement?  Yes, good cooperation between the police, guards of the Royal Government and organization committee.

 APPRECIATION NOTE

 We are The Gender Forum member and the members of The NGO on CEDAW would like send our regards  and special thanks to the following organizations:

The East West Management Institute	Dan Church Aid	Lutheran World Federation	Oxfam GB	Church World Service	Forum Syd

[Top]