Cambodia's Women in Land Conflict

ABSTRACTED FROM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In the last decade it has become widely accepted that insecurity of land tenure has a unique impact on women, particularly in the global South where, more often than not, women are the primary caregivers in a household. In Cambodia, where land conflict continues to be one of the most prevalent human rights issues in the country, this assertion deserves particular consideration. While some positive developments have been made in terms of gender equality in Cambodia in recent years, gender inequality continues to pervade the majority of Cambodian social relations, particularly in rural areas. Khmer women are generally expected to fulfill traditional roles, which involve duties that can only be performed where there is security of tenure, such as providing shelter and food for the family. Given their intrinsic link to land (particularly in rural areas), it stands to reason that Cambodian women would bear the brunt of Cambodia’s widespread land conflict – an assumption that is supported by existing qualitative research. Moreover, in the face of widespread land abuses and an absence of formal protections for their lands, Cambodian women are often at the forefront of protest movements to protect their land rights. Through the analysis of quantitative data collected on women involved in land disputes throughout the country, this report aims to shed light on the unique ways in which Cambodian women are affected by land conflict.

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