ADB country director Jyotsana Varma (centre-left) signs a funding agreement for an earlier project with finance minister Aun Pornmoniroth late last year. ADB
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $10 million in grant financing to address gender-based violence (GBV) in Cambodia to help meet the country’s target of zero GBV by 2030.
According to a November 4 ADB press release, the “Strengthening Country Systems for Prevention and Response to GBV” project is ADB’s first stand-alone Asian Development Fund (ADF) grant which specifically focuses on gender equality in Southeast Asia, and establishes a clear link between governance systems, public financial management and the quality and accessibility of services addressing GBV.
“The project will strengthen legal and institutional frameworks by updating Cambodia’s legislation on domestic violence; improve service delivery at the local level by strengthening the quality and accessibility of response services and refurbishing shelters for survivors, especially in rural areas; and leverage digital solutions in adolescent school-based and community-based programs to promote prevention,” it explained.
The funding will also be used to enhance digital solutions for round-the-clock access to information, education and other resources related to the issue, in an effort to link prevention and response mechanisms.
“This important project will enhance systemic responses, expand access to shelters and ensure survivors receive the care they need,” said ADB country director for Cambodia Jyotsana Varma.
“It will also promote community-based programs on prevention, empowering local communities to play a key role in raising awareness and stopping violence before it occurs. ADB remains committed to supporting Cambodia in building a safer, more inclusive society for all,” she added.
The release warned that the incidence of GBV remains persistently high even as Cambodia has made significant strides in combating it, with the government and civil society organisations piloting several promising prevention approaches.
“Since 2014, the prevalence of intimate partner violence has decreased by 8 percentage points, with 21 per cent of women (aged 15–49) experiencing it at least once in their lifetime, according to the WHO. While better than the global and Southeast Asian average of 30 per cent, Cambodia still faces hurdles due to uneven response hindered by multiple public agencies, and limited survivor-centred care, it added.
According to the ADB, the initiative takes the lessons learned from previous GBV projects in Asia to promote a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach that integrates gender equality and GBV considerations across key ministries including the ministries of women’s affairs, interior, and economy, so as to ensure a coordinated response.
The $10 million project is funded by a grant from the ADF, which supports ADB’s vulnerable developing member countries.
