On October 26, 2025, Cambodia vibrantly celebrated the International Day of Rural Women 2025 at Sokha Angkor Resort in Siem Reap province, under the significant theme: “Social Protection for a Just Transition and Climate Action.” This pivotal event was a strong collaborative effort between the Cambodian Farmer Community Coalition (CCFC), Banteay Srei (BS), and the Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC), with crucial financial support from Oxfam in Cambodia.
The annual regional forum brought together nearly 400 participants, including a large number of workers, farmers, young farmers, and rural women, along with community leaders, representatives from relevant ministries and provincial administrations, specialists, and policymakers. The aim was to collectively discuss and seek practical solutions to strengthen Cambodia’s social security system, ensuring it is accountable and inclusive.
Throughout the day, the program focused intensely on finding solutions to guarantee decent employment, livelihoods, and social protection for a just transition. Key highlights and notable activities included:
Farmers’ Product Exhibition: This showcased the dedication to producing agricultural goods using natural, health-safe fertilisers, reflecting a commitment to environmental sustainability and food safety.
Short Play Performance “My Life, Climate Change, and Social Protection”: The performance powerfully amplified the tangible impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of vulnerable groups, workers, and those engaged in various trades, underscoring the urgent need for social protection responses.
In-depth Knowledge and Discussion: Participants gained insight from presentations and deep discussions on existing challenges at the grassroots level, such as the lack of clear information on NSSF cards (National Social Security Fund) and health insurance in communities, which pose significant barriers to equitable access to social protection services.
In his address at the event, the representative of the Cambodian Farmer Community Coalition (CCFC) emphasised: “This Day is an opportunity for us to voice the actual needs of rural women in strengthening social protection systems to help them live resiliently and adapt to climate change. Robust social protection is about equity, inclusion, and dignity for workers and farmers who are currently working and earning livelihoods. Promoting socio-economic status, social services, and especially considering gender responsiveness, developing new vocational skills, and protecting sustainable livelihoods, are active steps in the operational process towards addressing human capital and dignified living, within the journey of the Just Transition.”
Through the core objectives of celebrating and acknowledging rural women’s role in rural development, establishing a policy dialogue platform, and strengthening partnerships with the government, all collaborators expressed strong hope that the outcomes of this forum will serve as invaluable input for the Royal Government in implementing a truly inclusive and equitable social protection policy for rural women and young farmers nationwide.
