Lily Partand
The Phnom Penh Post
Siem Reap - SEXUAL and domestic violence against women and girls has become a problem of pandemic proportions that is stalling development of the Kingdom, according to Minister for Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi.
She spoke on Wednesday at the opening session of the two-day Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women and Children: Focus on Urban Youth, which included 120 participants and speakers from countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Ing Kantha Phavi said that although the number of rapes and sexual assaults that get reported is increasing, the number of cases that go unreported is of even greater concern.
“In Cambodia, the reported rate of domestic and sexual violence is 22 percent. But due to our culture of silence and shame, and the widespread practice of victims accepting compensation instead of prosecuting their abusers, the actual rate of violence could be much higher. This risks jeopardising the recent development and progress of Cambodia,” she said.
First lady Bun Rany spoke of the importance of youth in tackling the issue in Cambodia, where 56 percent of the population is under the age of 25.
“If we can develop effective initiatives for youth, we will be able to reach young people while their attitudes towards gender equality, relationships and violence are still being formed. If we succeed, this could have a significant impact on reducing violence against women and children,” she said.
Facilitator Ellen Minotti, who has worked in the field in Cambodia for 17 years, said the conference would help identify best practices and find ways to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention programmes.
“One of the points made ... was that there’s been lots of work done on domestic violence and sexual violence, and the rate is not going down anywhere. So we need to look at new ways, but we also need to measure if they are working or not,” Minotti said.
Dr Jean D’Cunha, regional programme director for the UN Development Fund for Women in East and Southeast Asia, said it was important to involve men and boys in the campaign against sexual and domestic violence.
“We’ve done very little work with men and boys, but this is not just an issue for women and girls – it concerns the whole of our society. Men and boys need to be partners with women and girls against violence.”
The conference, which concludes today, was organised by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. The results will be used to shape recommendations for Cambodia’s National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women 2009-12.
She spoke on Wednesday at the opening session of the two-day Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Primary Prevention of Violence Against Women and Children: Focus on Urban Youth, which included 120 participants and speakers from countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Ing Kantha Phavi said that although the number of rapes and sexual assaults that get reported is increasing, the number of cases that go unreported is of even greater concern.
“In Cambodia, the reported rate of domestic and sexual violence is 22 percent. But due to our culture of silence and shame, and the widespread practice of victims accepting compensation instead of prosecuting their abusers, the actual rate of violence could be much higher. This risks jeopardising the recent development and progress of Cambodia,” she said.
First lady Bun Rany spoke of the importance of youth in tackling the issue in Cambodia, where 56 percent of the population is under the age of 25.
“If we can develop effective initiatives for youth, we will be able to reach young people while their attitudes towards gender equality, relationships and violence are still being formed. If we succeed, this could have a significant impact on reducing violence against women and children,” she said.
Facilitator Ellen Minotti, who has worked in the field in Cambodia for 17 years, said the conference would help identify best practices and find ways to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention programmes.
“One of the points made ... was that there’s been lots of work done on domestic violence and sexual violence, and the rate is not going down anywhere. So we need to look at new ways, but we also need to measure if they are working or not,” Minotti said.
Dr Jean D’Cunha, regional programme director for the UN Development Fund for Women in East and Southeast Asia, said it was important to involve men and boys in the campaign against sexual and domestic violence.
“We’ve done very little work with men and boys, but this is not just an issue for women and girls – it concerns the whole of our society. Men and boys need to be partners with women and girls against violence.”
The conference, which concludes today, was organised by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. The results will be used to shape recommendations for Cambodia’s National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women 2009-12.
6 comments:
This is not a mystery about the abuse of Cambodian women and children. Whenever there is an economic hardship and it is the Cambodian women and children who will suffer the most!
I believe through education and tougher law can help but the underline issue such poverty, lack of opportunity in education, in finding good job , and good housing...to support the family in a meaningful way which lead to hopelessness and then violent will occur in the family over money, resource, and respect for the family member.
Tell me where is Cheam Yep? Where is he? He got his PhD in economic from Hanoi and he should know what is happening to dirt poor Cambodian people family in bad economic time. What has he done so far to help them? Please don’t tell me that Bun Ranny Hun Sen help these dirt poor Cambodian family through the Cambodian Red! A one time give away of a few bottle of fish sauce, a box of dry noodle, one of cooking oil, one bag of rice, and one cloth to wrap around their neck….what else?
nothing surprise in such the yuon influence society
It is not panic me,hundred more years under Hun Sen it is not gonna change this kind of rape of sexual assault and violent to women acts.Because the leaders lack of educated ,It will be helped unless from the top to the bottom of this regime(remember me of 1979 every where in phsar tmei PP) government acted tougher but nothing it happen why?(Stomach empty)
Porns distribution are the problem in cambodia right now, cambodian authority must work real hard to catching those Porns distributor...
Well, this is how Foreigner contaminated cambodia...drugs, porns, crimes, u name them..? cambodia used to be like a young, innocent child and knowing nothing about these???? fuck those foreigners dollars $$...
A kwak regime is the worst in khmer history, xihanouk second.
Post a Comment