Civil Groups Call for Stronger Protection of Women
Rights civil groups and unions in different sectors joined the NagaWorld strikers to seek intervention from Prime Minister Hun Sen on the prolonged labor dispute. Photo by Lay Sopheavatey
- By Lay Sopheavotey
- November 30, 2023 5:05 PM
PHNOM PENH – Civil society groups have launched a 16-day campaign aimed at protecting women and their rights.
The “No violence on women and girls for economic and social justice” campaign also called for a review of legal instruments related to women.
The campaign, organised by 20 civil society groups working on human rights, labor right and youth networks, noted that discrimination against women still occurs in almost every field, in every format and everywhere at home and in the community.
They proposed 16 requirements and solutions to the government and ministries, including amendments to domestic violence laws and establishing safe shelters for victims.
They also called for specific administrative measures to be taken and that violence against women working in to defend human rights, land rights, environmental rights and labor rights must be stopped.
The groups singled out the ministries of Women's Affairs, Labour and Vocational Training, Interior, Land Management and Education to take action.
Each ministry should respond to women’s needs to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls while the state needs to take steps to promote gender equality in all areas in line with the fifth goal of the 2030 Sustainable Development Plan, they said.
Government spokesperson Pen Bona said previous and the new governments had focused on promoting gender equality in all formats.
He said the government was continuing many policies and the number of women holding positions in the government continued to increase.
Civil society groups said they acknowledged government efforts to promote women’s rights and gender equality.
The 16-day campaign is an annual international event that started on Nov. 25, the international day for the elimination of violence against women, and runs until Human Rights Day on Dec. 10.
Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this article was translated by Nhor Sokhoeurn for Cambodianess.
