On Thursday 20th June 2024, EuroCham’s Responsible Business Hub (RBH) and CARE Cambodia, with support from GIZ FABRIC and the Textile, Apparel, Footwear & Travel Goods Association in Cambodia (TAFTAC), launched the executive summary of the “Sustainability Recommendations to Prevent Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH) in Cambodia’s Garment, Textile, and Footwear (GFT) Sector” at Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh.
This marks the release of the first of five Sustainability Recommendation Papers (SRPs), representing a significant step towards preventing GBVH in Cambodia’s garment industry. The event brought together various key stakeholders, including government representatives, factory owners, private sector representatives, civil society organizations, and development partners, to discuss strategies for preventing GBVH in the workplace.
We were pleased to have H.E. Lim Suyhong, Under-secretary of State at the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and H.E. Nhean Sochetra, General Director of Social Development at the Ministry of
Women’s Affairs (MoWA), attended our event to provide valuable insights from the government’s perspective.
This initiative underscores the importance of addressing GBVH to create a safe work environment for garment workers. It not only benefits employees but also strengthens Cambodia’s garment industry’s Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) capacity.
To effectively address GBVH, the focus should be on raising awareness through capacity training and workshops, as well as strengthening grievance mechanisms by providing accessible reporting channels, combined with guaranteed confidentiality and support services, which will encourage workers to come forward.
You can download the sustainability recommendation paper below: