16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence: Day 5

Sok Panha, Director of Banteay Srei

Day 5: Interview with Sok Panha, Banteay Srei

Sok Panha, Director of Cambodian organisation, Banteay Srei, spoke with us last week about the 16 Days campaign, and how Cambodia’s militarised history has impacted upon the prevalence of gender-based violence in the country.

Can you tell us a little about what kind of work Banteay Srei does?

Banteay Srei is a Cambodian women’s non-government organisation that empowers vulnerable women to improve their political, economic and psycho-social situation through implementation of community development projects, advocacy work and encouraging men’s participation in addressing issues affecting women.

The theme of this year’s 16 Days campaign relates to the intersection of militarism and gender-based violence. In what ways do you see Cambodia’s militarised history contributing to the prevalence of gender-based violence in the country today?

Cambodia’s militarised past has a fundamental impact on the nature and prevalence of violence against women. We have done some research recently into men’s attitudes and have found that many men worked as military soldiers. Traditional Cambodian and military cultures combined have created a masculine ideal that requires men to be tough and powerful, not least economically. Supporting their families after retiring from the military, and finding an alternative source of income, is not easy for former soldiers. When men are under pressure in these situations, and they have no support mechanisms, they often turn to violence to release their own pressure. Men are not allowed to be vulnerable in Cambodia.

What is Banteay Srei doing for the 16 Days?

In Siem Reap we are holding a public event with a focus on raising awareness on non-violent resolutions to domestic conflict. We have invited local authorities – the District Governor, a representative of the Department of Women’s Services – and various women in the community to speak at the event, and there will be performances, singing, and question and answer sessions on the theme of violence against women. We also have a strong focus on young people – there will be 11 girls and 9 boys from the local school involved. As well as working with both men and women, it is so important to work with young people. They need to be prepared for later life when they have their own families. Children can also have a positive impact on their parents.

Panha has recently visited Australia for the first time to participate in our special One Just World forum in Brisbane, which focuses on violence against women. We will be reporting on this forum, as well as uploading a link to the video, later on in the campaign, so keep your eyes peeled!

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 16 Days of Activism is a global campaign encouraging organisations and individuals across the world to take a stand against gender-based violence. The campaign starts on 25th November: The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends on 10th December: World Human Rights Day.

16 Days of Activism was started by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership 18 years ago. The campaign’s beginning and end dates highlight that violence against women is a human rights violation.

Thousands of diverse groups and individuals now take part in 16 Days, together calling for an end to all types of violence against women. Each year people organise events in their communities, including meetings, conferences, demonstrations, exhibitions and performances.

This year at IWDA, we have decided to use the 16 Days to highlight the work our partners in Asia and the Pacific are doing to improve the situation for women and girls in their communities, as well as the work IWDA is undertaking in Australia. Each day between 25th November and 10th December, we will post a short article about 16 Days on our website, Facebook page, and Twitter page.

Tags: 16 Days of Activism

This entry was posted on Monday, November 29th, 2010 under 16_Days, Recent.
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