Summary of More Than White Cloth: Women’s Rights in Cambodia

More Than White Cloth?

Women’s Rights in Cambodia

by Nakagawa Kasumi

I. Introduction

            Because of the traditional values embedded in most Cambodians’ mindset, many of women suffer from discrimination and gender inequality, deprived of the same rights and freedom as men. This inequality is widespread and can be seen in many areas and participation in governance and other matters is one. Either in the parliament, in the Supreme Court, or in other ministries, the number of working women is far outnumbered by the number of men. Besides, women are also discriminated against in terms of education. Boys are more likely to be sent to school, whereas girls, especially in rural areas, are supposed to stay home and complete household work. Moreover, Cambodian women are treated unequally when it comes to healthcare, marriage, and job opportunity. For healthcare and marriage, because of not having power to decide in family, such issues as abortion and infection with STDS and HIV/AIDS happens. For employment, in many jobs, women get less money than men although working the same amount of work. Sexual harassment in the workplace, sexual trafficking, and sexual exploitation are also common. Vulnerability to domestic violence and rape is another evidence of discrimination and gender inequality against women in Cambodia. These gender problems seem really serious, so effective solutions needs to be initiated in order to improve women’s situation, which may well be possible.

II. Women in Cambodia: History and Culture

            Although, as Cambodian history shows, women’s active roles figured as important contribution to the country’s development in ancient times, women’s status in the society has started to decline since the fall of the Angkor Empire. They are subordinate to men and their rights and freedoms are very limited by traditions, belief, and the Code of Women.

            In ancient times, some women held prestigious positions in the country. Women such as Queen Neak Neang, or Liv Yi in Chinese, and Queen Indradevi are perfect examples. They ruled the country and had profound influence on developing the country politically, socially, and culturally. However, since the end of the Angkor Empire, these powers of women gradually disappeared until the Sihanouk regime, when there was improvement in women’s status. Though not many women took part in politics, after a very long period of male domination, some females emerged and held leadership positions. They played some active roles, such as promoting women’s rights and gender equality. But this participation was said to be encouraged on the basis of national development, rather than on a desire to fundamentally alter gender roles. After this regime, Cambodian history was followed by three decades of civil wars, causing political struggle to women. In the Khmer Rouge regime (1075-79), women, like never before, were provided with equal political opportunities to participate in state building as men in every aspect. Women had to work as hard as men, being forced into extreme vulnerability. Things got better in the People’s Republic of Kampuchea (1979-91) and the UNTAC period (1991-93). Women’s rights were guaranteed as equal to men, and more female politicians were encouraged, but no female presence at high levels existed. Further, UNTAC brought a huge economic boom, also creating new job opportunities for women, which were, unfortunately, in the field of sex industry.

            In most Cambodian’s point of view, a traditional good Cambodian woman is a gentle, soft, obedient, and shy woman, and reputation and dignity is highly valued. This factor creates barrier for women to fully use their freedoms and rights. Actually, according to Khmer literature and the Code of Women, girls and women are viewed as obedient child and excellent housewives, fully supportive, and gentle to their husbands. This gender concept is widely spread and reinforced through education or passed on at home from grandmother or mother to granddaughter or daughter. This stereotype represents a problem to Cambodian women in a way that it, for example, discourages women to ask others for help when suffering from domestic violence by her husband. She feels obliged to maintain the family’s reputation by keeping patient and remain quiet. In addition, virginity is considered the most important for a girl. Any sexual activity before marriage is regarded taboo for girls, but not at all for boys. However, as the country and people’s ideas develop, not everybody sticks to these traditional social norms, although most still do. Nowadays, two types of women can be seen in Cambodian society—one is getting more ‘modern’ and other holds on tight to the older beliefs.

III. Education

            It is an inalienable right for women to get education, which can enable them to think better, make better decisions, and live a better life. It also provides a way out of poverty. For Cambodian girls, unlike most boys, the widely-accepted stereotype that girls’ education is not needful and they should stay home and do housework, the economic cost, and far distance to school have prevented many of them, especially in rural areas, from schooling or from pursuing higher education, which affects their life opportunities. Instead of studying, they help their mother doing household work, are encouraged to enter the workforce, or are even forced into arranged marriages.

            Concerning education, in both domestic and international legislation, some articles of the Constitution have been established to assure free basic education for everyone regardless of sex, to ensure on a basis of equality of men and women.

IV. Reproductive Health

            Knowledge about reproductive health has just been newly introduced to Cambodian women and is not widely practiced effectively yet. Many Cambodian women, especially poor women, are seen in vulnerable health condition owing to the lack of health education and the limitation of access to sufficient healthcare facilities. Also, stereotyped gender roles only provide women less decision making power to use their financial resources to seek for good healthcare. These factors results in many preventable diseases and sometimes death as a result of maternity. Actually, because of limited education, any family planning method is often ignored and the risk of having unwanted children is high, which can seriously affect the mothers’ health. Unsafe abortion may also happen. Further, women whose husbands have unsafe sex with other women in the sex industry are very vulnerable to the infection of STDs and HIV/AIDS. The gender inequality in the family in a way that women are discouraged not to negotiate with her husband for protected sex even adds to this vulnerability.

V. Politics and Decision Making

            In Cambodia, women’s participation in politics is very modest. This is probably because of the existing mechanisms, political structures, or lack of women’s full access of education which would enable then to confidently participate. Plus, the traditional and cultural attitude of most Cambodians towards women somewhat obliges women to take her responsibility as a good housewife and mother rather than to enter politics. This stereotype presents women’s lack of self-confidence, lack of family support and discriminatory feelings in the society. Thus, most women remain weak, silent, and non-interfering when it comes to the political life of the country. Nowadays, although women can vote and have rights to stand for election, female representation in most areas of governance, concerning the decision-making process, stays very low, and, therefore, women’s issues are often neglected.

VI. Marriage

            In spite of the establishment of laws and principles that guarantee women’s rights in marriage and divorce in both national and international legislation, many Cambodian women still undergo discrimination because of the deeply-embedded traditional norms which are biased in favor of men. The norms tell women that they must not lose her virginity before marriage, and many young girls are pressured to gratefully accept arranged marriages by their parents. Additionally, in their marriage life, women are considered lower in status and, thus, inferior to men. They, as a wife, are expected to stay faithful and obedient to their husband. So divorce, which is usually started by domestic violence, is always a difficult and intimidating procedure for most women, no matter how desperate they are for it. In many Khmer people’s mindsets, to divorce and be a widow is not a good thing; she would be surrounded by constant criticism from other people. More than that, to seek a legal divorce is time-consuming and can be very costly. Corruption in the court is also quite common.

VII. Economy

            In Cambodia, just like other countries, the gender gap in access to job opportunities and payment is a serious problem because this makes women become more economically dependent and have insufficient rights to property or access to finance. Usually, women get paid less for doing the same amount of work as men. Job opportunities for women are still limited because of the traditional gender roles that women must bear most household responsibilities. This discrimination prevents women from choosing their desired occupation. Sometimes, a woman is well-educated and can get a well-paid job, but the gender stereotype might discourage her from that job. Moreover, for low-educated women, they are seen mostly engaged in labour market, in small business and in the garment industry, which is currently the biggest market for women. These jobs only provide them a little money, so many have to live in poor conditions. During their work, women sometimes undergo sexual harassment, which happens in many forms but has not been clearly identified to Cambodians yet. Nowadays, migration of one place to another in search for job opportunities is also common. This may help them earn more money, but it can be dangerous. Women might end up betrayed by the middleman or their friends and sold into prostitution. Sometimes, because of facing financial problems in their family, some women resort to the decision to enter the sex industry themselves; no-one forces them to.

VIII. Women and Criminal Justice

            Many Cambodian women are suffering from violence, which happens in various forms such as domestic violence, rape, and sex exploitation. Actually, there are many cases of such violence against women, many of which are still unreported for some reasons. Because of the Khmer traditional values based on gender and the fact of not being well-educated, no matter how badly they get abused by their husbands, women are supposed to spread this family affair to no-one at all. Failing to keep silent means bringing shame to the family and themselves. Some women who got raped choose to endure pain and anger for fear that telling the authority about the rape can bring damage to family’s reputation, and, thus, the perpetrators are not brought into justice Another reason that discourages victimized women from reporting the crime is attributed to the existence of corruption and the ineffectiveness of the law enforcement; going to court is a cost and can be unjust. Concerning sex exploitation, sex industry, which is a very flourishing business, has put a lot of girls into victims. Although there are laws in the legislation preventing this, because of lax enforcement and corrupt practices by police and local authorities, this exploitation on women still continues unrelentingly. Most victims to these kinds of violence often live traumatically with isolation, shame, and very low self-esteem, while the offenders go unpunished.

IX. Conclusion

            Women are as equally important to the development of the country as men; therefore, their full participation in politics and economic activities is inalienable. However, because of the traditional norms and values, the lack of adequate awareness among women relating to their fundamental rights, and the limit of efforts constitutional institutions to protect and promote their rights, many women are treated unequally; they suffer. So it is only fair that policies and laws are fully implemented and people’s discriminatory perceptions towards women are changed so that every Cambodian woman can enjoy their lives as much as men can.