Growing into Government: USAID Empowers Women in Cambodia

The 2002 communal elections saw over 12,000 women place their names on the ballot, with more than 900 women representatives elected to the National Assembly in 2003. This represents an astonishing 8,900 percent increase over the previous total of 10. Two-thirds of the women elected had participated in training sessions offered by Women for Prosperity, a USAID-supported nongovernmental organization based in Phnom Penh. Women for Prosperity has been working to promote voter education and the participation of women in government for over a decade. The organization advocates for greater inclusion of women in all levels of government and encourages women's leadership, democratic reforms, and non-violence. Through its efforts, Women for Prosperity has trained over 5,500 women to run for and hold political office. The organization also encourages men to participate alongside women, recognizing that women must be involved in the country's decision-making and development. In addition to promoting women's participation in government, Women for Prosperity has successfully lobbied the government to ensure that at least 15 percent of political party lists for the National Assembly include women. The organization has also played a key role in the creation of a new law mandating the creation of women and children's committees in local governing councils. This law is changing the way these councils work and influencing the issues, priorities, and agendas they address in the long-term. Ung Vathana, a vegetable farmer and now Chief of her province in Kompong Cham, Cambodia, is an example of the impact of USAID's support for women's participation in government. She took part in a USAID-funded training program targeting women's participation in local government and went on to become one of the first women to hold a high-ranking position in her province. Her story is a testament to the power of USAID's support for women's empowerment and its potential to transform the lives of women and communities in Cambodia.