Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Women ‘bear brunt’ of land grabs

Women ‘bear brunt’ of land grabs

Women from Koh Kong’s Chi Khor Leu commune last month march along the road toward Phnom Penh’s National Assembly, where they delivered a land dispute petition.
Women from Koh Kong’s Chi Khor Leu commune last month march along the road toward Phnom Penh’s National Assembly, where they delivered a land dispute petition. Hong Menea

Women ‘bear brunt’ of land grabs

Cambodia’s rampant land grabs have had a devastating impact on the psychological health of women and have led to a sharp increase in the rates of domestic violence they suffer, according to a new report.

The report, released yesterday and titled Cambodia’s Women in Land Conflict, surveyed 612 women who had been dispossessed of their homes and found a staggering 98 percent said land conflicts had negatively impacted their mental health.

What’s more, almost half of the women had considered ending their own life; 18 percent had attempted it. One victim distilled the psychological trauma of losing her land down to a simple vignette: once, she filled a cooking pot to boil water for rice but, driven to distraction by worry, it evaporated to nothing without her even noticing.

The new report, which spans 12 provinces and was compiled by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said the ability of women to fulfil traditional gender roles of providing food and shelter for the family were inextricably linked to their security of land tenure. That security has been shaken for an estimated 700,000 Cambodians thanks to land grabs by companies or authorities.

More than 75 percent of respondents felt their current land tenure situation was not secure. Almost 95 percent had experienced threats from the authorities, and a third were subjected to physical violence.

The majority of women reported that after the land conflict it was difficult to buy enough food to feed the family and their medical needs went unmet.

But the effects rippled beyond the economic sphere: 23 percent of women surveyed said they were victims of domestic abuse. Half of those had never experienced domestic violence before the land conflict drove a wedge through their relationships.

An increase in their partner’s drinking, coupled with tension following the loss of land, arguments about lack of income and heightened emotional distress were listed as reasons for the sharp increase in domestic violence.

A large number of women also reported they were more violent towards their children after the land grabs, and many children were pulled out of school, CCHR land reform project coordinator Vann Sophath said. “Parents had no other choice but to make their children find a job,” he said, adding this affected one-third of respondents.

Despite tearful accounts from victims of Kampong Speu and Beoung Kak land disputes, and numerous portraits mounted around the event of women and members of ethnic minorities who had suffered

hardship as a result of corporate development, government representatives at the launch yesterday appeared unmoved.

Sakhoeun Savatty, a representative of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, dismissed the issue of domestic violence stemming from land grabs as one for police or other ministries.

“Domestic violence in land conflict is not under the mandate of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs,” she said. “Of course we feel a lot of pity for you . . . but you can follow legal procedure.”

She added that the women present should look on the positive side of land conflicts. “Maybe you can be more creative,” she said, seemingly referring to the ways in which communities protest their displacement.

Ministry of Land Management representative Vuthy Vannara, meanwhile, launched into a tirade, slamming the report findings.

“This is basically unacceptable. It cannot be representative if you survey 600 people,” he said. “The report does not reflect the real situation of the government’s effort.”

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Newest horror film showcases unique Khmer culture, identity

    At first glance, the trailer to new horror sensation The Ritual: Black Nun looks like a western-produced feature film. As the story reveals itself to the viewers, it becomes clearer that this is a Khmer film, with a strong Cambodian identity and close links to

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the