Women's Rights Monitoring Office

 Go to photo album

On paper, men and women enjoy equal rights in Cambodia, but the situation can be much different in reality. In particular, crimes such as sexual abuse and domestic violence often go uninvestigated and unpunished, thanks to official corruption, a culture of impunity and a culture of silence surrounding crimes that occur within the home.

Despite having ratified key human rights treaties, such as the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Cambodian government fails to provide women who have suffered gender-based violence with critical support services. Fearing shame and further violence by their attacker, victims often do not report instances of gender-based violence.

Corruption in the police and the judiciary means that perpetrators who are reported are often left unpunished. Moreover, the informal cost of forensic examinations, medical check-ups and medical certificates to be used in court are prohibitive. The courts also remain an unfriendly environment for victims of gender-based violence. In particular, prosecutors show no sensitivity to the victims' injuries and victims have no opportunity for anonymity.

The role of LICADHO’s Women’s Rights Monitoring Project is to help bridge the gap between the law and reality by advocating for women’s rights and documenting crimes against women.

What we do

• Investigate cases related to violations of women’s rights, such as domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and human trafficking
• Respond to these abuses by assisting victims with legal intervention (requesting the police or prosecutor to investigate) or referring the victim to another non-governmental organization providing similar legal services
• Follow up cases on with authorities to ensure all relevant steps are taken to investigate and prosecute the perpetrator
• When necessary, appeal to the Courts to take action on stalled cases, or request intervention from the Ministry of Justice or the Supreme Council of Magistracy
• Coordinate the provision of first aid, counseling, and other basic material support for victims through the Medical Office and Social Work Office
• Provide referral services to shelters, legal aid organizations and other vocational or rehabilitation NGOs