Project profile

CARE Cambodia works with poor and vulnerable women, including migrants, focusing on building capacities, increasing resilience and reducing vulnerabilities, promoting rights and advocating for women’s protection and safety.

 

CARE Cambodia has worked with beer promoters since 2003, concentrating on empowerment and the elimination of violence against women.

 

The working conditions for beer promoters in Cambodia are precarious - working until late at night serving alcohol to groups of predominantly male clients, and as employees of the breweries, not the outlets, responsibility for BP safety lies in the hands of those without an enforceable legal obligation. 

 

Studies have shown alarmingly high rates of harassment in the work place including unwanted sexual touching (83%) and coerced sex (38%) (Situations of Beer Promotion Women, CARE 2005).  The same study revealed that harassment is so common among beer promoters that it is viewed as an occupational hazard rather than an abuse of their human rights.

 

Objective

The Promoting the Safety of Women Workers in the Beer Industry (PSWWBI) project seeks to create and sustain safer and more respectful working environments for beer promoters, free from harasment and violence. The project focuses on both prevention of and response to violence, including educational and advocacy efforts targeted at male customers, outlet owners and police officers.

 

Key activities

Project activities include: 

 

• Providing lifeskills training for 400 commission-based beer promoters each year

• Peer education on sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, women’s rights, legal and health services for beer promoters

• Support and organizational development of the Solidarity Association of Beer Promoters in Cambodia

• Training judicial police officers in gender, women’s rights, and relevant legislation

• Implementing a non-violent workplace initiative targeting outlet owners and male clients to promote social responsibility and prevent sexual harassment and violence against women in the workplace

• Media campaign to promote social and behavioral changes through broadcast advertising, social network marketing, televised round table discussions and policy dialogue debates

• Providing training and skills building for university students covering gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, and women rights

• Capacity building of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs Legal Protection Department officers

• Networking with government institutions, private sector, and civil society