GADNet
The Gender and Development Network of Cambodia (GADNet) is a collective force of over 60 development organisations (national and international NGOs, government agencies, United Nations agencies and donor agencies) that are involved in addressing gender issues and concerns in programmes and projects throughout Cambodia . The goal of the network is to strengthen the women's movement in Cambodia through coordinated solidarity mechanisms.
The network has the following specific objectives:
-
To promote a forum of exchange on gender and development programmes and organisational strategies and experiences;
-
to inform and educate the Cambodian public and development practitioners on gender inequality issues and women's rights; and
-
to coordinate and support mobilization and advocacy activities addressing gender issues and concerns in Cambodia.
Cambodian Men's Network (CMN)
The Cambodian Men's Network was launched to coincide with the 1st annual White Ribbon Campaign that GAD/C organised in 2000. Throughout the previous year, GAD/C had been active in mobilizing men across Cambodia who were involved in human rights and community development work at grassroots level in order that they could form a men's network whose aims would compliment those of GAD/C. By outlining issues concerned with violence against women, CMN was able to promote the notion that such violence is essentially a male problem and can only be eradicated if men themselves are prepared to face and resolve it. Indeed their slogan for that first White Ribbon Campaign was
"Violence against women is a problem belonging to men, and men must solve it."
In order to do this, CMN have outlined a number of aims that are crucial to any success in broadening understanding of women's rights amongst men in Cambodian society. These aims include:
-
Encouraging men to be responsible parents and loving partners within the family;
-
acting as effective role models for children and instilling in them values that contribute to peace and harmony within society;
-
reducing some destructive aspects of male behaviour such as gambling, drinking and extra-marital sex;
- raising awareness among men of the benefits of monogamy and fidelity, and of the health risks involved with promiscuous sexual behaviour;
- being leaders in creating a Cambodian society that values good behaviour, trust in each other, loyalty, honesty and giving service to others;
- educating all Cambodian men to reject all forms of violence against women including physical abuse, psychological abuse, discrimination, harassment and abusive language; and
- being active in lobbying for the elimination of the trafficking for sexual exploitation of women and young girls.
Since CMN was established its activities have extended into many of Cambodia 's provinces and municipalities. There is now a membership base of more than 1000 men who come from all walks of life and who have helped to organise such events as the Men Speakout vigil and concert in 2002, an event that allowed men to voice their opinions about violence against women openly in the same way that the Women's Speakout had done so successfully the previous year. And as the following quote from one of their members clearly illustrates, the CMN is set to become stronger and more vocal in the future,
Uniting to end violence against women and children is not something we do for just sixteen days of the year...this campaign wants to show that [such] violence is a problem for the whole of society...the Cambodian Men's Network will not stand by silently while there is [still] violence against women and children [in Cambodia].
|
