International Women's Day

Investing in Cambodia’s women: Providing opportunities, not charity

While images of poverty-stricken women dominate much of the fundraising materials for charities, SHE Investments Managing Director Celia Boyd argues that more is needed than just the exchange of funds, with women's empowerment the ultimate goal
By Celia Boyd • Mar 08, 2021

Opinion

The hard fight to increase women’s political participation in Indonesia

Indonesia is the world's third largest democracy, but low levels of women's political participation remain an unwanted caveat on that status. Dian Maya Safitri outlines how and why the archipelago nation should strive for a greater female presence in the halls of power
By Dian Maya Safitri • Jan 08, 2021

Podcast

The Anakut podcast: Women in the Kingdom

Anakut: The podcast about Cambodia's future dissects the big issues impacting the Kingdom. This week, feminist figurehead Chak Sopheap and the next generation Ham Pidor discuss a topic directly impacting the lives of 50% of Cambodians – women's rights
By Andrew Haffner • Oct 15, 2020

Myanmar conflict

Left in the dark: Rakhine state’s internet blackout leaves women at risk

As fighting rages and the world's longest-running internet blackout continues in Myanmar's Rakhine State, civil society groups have expressed concern as women and vulnerable groups are left unable to report rights abuses being committed against them
By Maggi Quadrini • Oct 01, 2020

Female-led councils and equity classes as Siem Reap schools target gender gap

While Cambodia continues to make strides with its education system, a gender attainment gap between girls and boys persists. But with its female-led student councils and gender equity programme, one set of schools in Siem Reap is bridging the divide
By Alexi Demetriadi • Sep 25, 2020

Women's rights

The Buddhist nun challenging misogyny in Myanmar

In a society that urges every woman to "regard her son as her master and her husband as her god", Buddhist nun Ketumala is an outlier. The 40-year-old walked away from traditional expectations of marriage and children as a teen, and has instead spent more than two decades as an advocate for the importance of women in religion
By Agence France-Presse • Sep 03, 2020

Analysis

Not just young brides: Education and women’s empowerment in Laos

Laos has the highest rate of young brides in Southeast Asia – but education is the pathway to female empowerment says Christine Redmond, as she offers lessons and insights from Aide et Action's women’s entrepreneurship project in the country
By Christine Redmond • Aug 31, 2020

Gender equality

Banking on change

Cambodian women are traditionally charged with overseeing their families’ finances once the paycheque comes home. While this skillset remains an essential part of Cambodia’s economy, what more can the financial sector do to take advantage of this home-grown expertise?
By Janelle Retka • Aug 09, 2018