Public Forum 2002

"Build Together a Society Free of Violence Against 

Women and Children"

92^nd Anniversary of International Women's Day "8 March"

6-7 March 2002

GAD/Net and Gender Forum in cooperation with the women's group of Phnom Vor in Kep City, organized a special public event at the Former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Phnom Vor.

Until 1996, Phnom Vor was firmly controlled by Forces of the Former Khmer Rouge. Since then, the community especially the women group, have struggled to reintegrate themselves into the wider Cambodian Society and to live in accordance with the law of the new democratic government.

To celebrate the 8 March International Women's Day, GADNet and Gender Forum of NGO Forum aimed to demonstrating a new spirit of peaceful reconciliation, bringing together in solidarity with the women of the old and new society.

The Theme of the Public Forum revolves around building together both families and communities which are free from the fear of violence, particularly violence against women and children, by focusing on particular topics as the following:

1. Promote and support the achievements of demand for women's rights and freedom;
2. Oppose the violence against women and children;
3. Improve women's reproductive health and stop or reduce the epidemic of AIDS disease;
4. Maintain and promote the Khmer social morality, culture and civilization;
5. Discrimination against women especially disabled women and children should be eradicated.

The following schedule is a summary of the events which GAD/Net and Gender Forum facilitated during the two-day public forum campaign.

Organizations and agencies that participated actively in the forum and made it successfully are:

UNESCO, WFP, PADV, KWVC, KYSD, Khemara, Rotarat Club, EB, VAWCC, CWCC, CWDA, IDA, Mlup Baitong, USG, CHEC, CWARO, YFP, KWCD, CYD, WPM, YFP, KTCC, YCP Club, SEC, YNR, NGO Forum, GAD/C, OKV, CWPD, SST, LICADHO, EDCO, CDRCP, NGO ON CEDAW, BANTEYSREI, IOM, Women For Prosperity, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Sixty-two members of GAD/Net and Gender Forum, including CMN members and other staff from government ministries organized a small formal ceremony to cerebrate the 92^nd Anniversary of International Women's Day. There were 500 people and primary school pupils participating in the ceremony. H.E Sam Narin, 3^rd Deputy Governor of Kep City and H.E. Tan Theany also attended the ceremony. After Ms. Mom Sarou read the Queen’s statement released by the Royal Palace, H.E Sam Narin read the speech of Prime Minister Hun Sen which was quoted that "By recognizing the different gaps between men and women and by facing with the various needs of improving the situation of women's status in society, the Royal Government has been considering a capacity-building programme for women in order to change the social attitudes that discriminate against women. The Government has a strong will to eliminate and eradicate all forms of violence such as domestic violence and violation of human-beings. Our objectives are to eliminate the domestic violence and combat against human trafficking. We try to encourage a help for the protection of women through the judicial system and include the grounds of law on protection of women into the State law so that women will have opportunity to participate equally in the process of national reconstruction."

Ms. Chin Sok Ngim, Director of Department of Women's and Veterans' Affairs, Kep City, provided a brief statement on the background and the causes of International Women's Day.

Ms. Ros Sopheap, GAD/C, reported on the activities of NGOs working on women's issues. She stated that "Since the early 1990s, there have been 800 local and international non-government organizations in both city and rural areas working on the improvement of social affairs, community solidarity and development throughout the country. These non-government organizations mobilized communities and addressed particular issues and specific concerns related to women. They helped not only in the improvement of living conditions and livelihood for the communities, but also encouraged women to participate in the community development, which would be leading to more honesty, reliability and self-confidence. She added that, Those Cambodian non-government organizations have worked so hard for women's rights, and continued providing training to women in order for them to promote their rights by recognizing that if women could share their capacity and skills, the advantage for Cambodian society would be more increased than the time women stayed quiet and did not expressed any ideas. Those activities include advocacy, legislation, training women to become candidates for election, round-table meetings to discuss strategies and laws to increase the numbers of women in leadership roles, management training and good governance and other initiatives.

Eventually, H.E. Tan Theany, on behalf of National Committee for UNESCO, thanked all NGOs that came to this area (Pnom Vor) and brought together the solidarity of women from the old and new society. She stressed that this important event signified a strong effort of Cambodian women to build a culture of peace in Cambodia and to heal the deep wounds left by decades of conflict. This event also represents the solidarity of Cambodian women with the government civil society cooperation for the current campaign, "Unite together to build a society free of violence against women"

At the end, Buddhist monks prayed to close the ceremony.

The organisation of this event was attracted by as many as 2,000 people from Phnom Vor commune and those who live nearby the Phnom Vor area, at the night of Public Forum. H.E. Sim Sun, Governor of Kep city and H.E. Mu Sochua Minister of Ministry of Women's and Veterans' Affairs also attended in this Public Forum. To open the ceremony, H.E. Mu Sochua read a powerful simple speech to draw an attention on the participation of all those women there, and called for an end to the many forms of violence against women to build a peaceful and just society.

The "quiz and answer forum" at this Public Forum was organised as a bracket of popular songs, Khmer traditional Ayay, Chapei Dong Veng, Comedies, etc. in conformity with the above general topics.

There were many brave young women and men who volunteered to answer the questions made by concerned NGOs about the topics of International Women's Day. At that time, 200 T-Shirts, posters, magazines and leaflets were awarded to the winners.

On Friday, 7 March 2002, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, the GADNet and Gender forum members and CMN members divided into three groups to visit and chat with the local people especially women at Chankar Bei, Autong Sar , Chankar Chek villages. There were 443 families in Phnom Vor commune and those people were divided into 29 groups. Each group was led by an administrative facilitator. Through discussion with them, our groups found some problems:

• Poverty (most hours without wall)
• Never hear any topic of women rights provided by the evening campaign
• Lack of information
• Domination of powerful political party
• Some cases of violence were occurred but not so serious.
• Lack of information on reproductive health
• HIV infection is rising
• Do not believe in condoms
• Lack of medical center
• 80% of women given birth by traditional midwife
• Lack of school and teacher
• Pupils can go to school only in the dry season, but in the rainy season, they cannot go to school. They need to help their parents to do housework or work on the rice field
• Adult and young girls migrated to the city to find jobs, or work in silk production field.
• Justice is only in the hand of authority.
• Land confiscation.
• People are fearful to speak out
• Very strong control by authorities.
• There are only one woman member in the commune council

• Many people interested the public forum composed by entertainment.
• The forum was expressed to the interests of people and the public as an information of laws.
• Everyone who participated in the forum acted toward a common target.
• The forum was an opportunity for local people to listen to any changes of society and people warmly believed that they did not live alone.
• It is the first time that people can hear, meet, listen to civil society forum which provided them a useful information of laws and women rights, and the prevention of all forms of violence against women.
• GAD/Net and Gender forum had exchanged their communications with the overwhelming public crowds.
• GAD/Net and Gender Forum members cooperated with each other closely and equally.
• Organizers of the forum should play their good role models for everybody.

• Lack of media attention
• Lack of responsibility of master ceremony
• There should be more chances to let people answer more questions.
• Monk prayers should be arranged at the beginning of the event.
• Not enough T-shirts
• Bus driver should have good attitudes and good communications

• Should organize a public forum again in remote areas.
• Should provide more information to this area through NGOs working in the area.
• Should provide education on reproductive health to the people at Phnom Vor
• Should provide opportunity to active women to attend meetings with our groups (GAD/Net or Gender Forum) as much as possible.

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