The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is set to partner with Japan’s Wesley Zaidan Foundation to support Pathway to Gender Equality in Cambodia, a project to protect women and girls from gender-based violence (GBV).
This partnership project will begin in February, according to a joint press release on January 28.
UNFPA said the partnership will help advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on health and well-being for all (goal 3) and on gender equality and the empowerment of all women and women. girls (objective 5).
According to UNFPA, more than 30% of women in Cambodia have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence from their intimate partner in their lifetime, and this prevalence is expected to worsen due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 19.
Not all GBV survivors have access to the services they need, although many GBV response policies and services have been put in place in Cambodia. Only 24% of women who have experienced domestic violence could receive support from formal service providers, or reported.
The two partners will also work closely with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to develop and introduce an innovative digital platform – a mobile application to educate women and young people about sexual harassment, which includes useful information such as how to identify and protect themselves from all forms of violence, among others.
“The safety of women and girls and their freedom from fear of being harassed and raped in public spaces and at home is our top priority. We believe that the new innovative digital technology platform will help prevent and protect vulnerable women and girls from all forms of violence in Cambodia during and beyond the pandemic,” said Golden Mulilo, UNFPA Representative at Cambodia.
Hikari Kokai, Country Director of Wesley Zaidan, emphasized the importance of empowering women, saying it requires the society they live in to allow them to use their personal gifts and talents with confidence and joy, without fear or discrimination.
“We believe this project promotes the empowerment of women and girls in Cambodia and contributes to the elimination of gender-based violence in Asia and around the world,” she said.
