Australia’s Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services – Phase 2 (ACCESS 2) program is deepening its partnership with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA) to ensure stronger, survivor-centred gender-based violence (GBV) services across four target provinces—Kampong Speu, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap and Ratanakiri. Together, ACCESS 2 and MoWA are working toward two end-of-investment outcomes:
- Higher-quality GBV and disability services reaching more people; and
- National and sub-national planning that responds to the priorities of survivors and persons with disabilities, in line with the Royal Government of Cambodia’s National Disability Strategic Plan (NDSP) and the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women (NAPVAW).
Workshop focuses on a sharper Year 3 plan
In May 2025, MoWA officials, Provincial Departments of Women’s Affairs (PDoWAs) and ACCESS 2 Strategic Implementing Partners (SIPs) met in Phnom Penh for a collaborative planning workshop. The group:
- Reflected on Year 2 achievements—including the rollout of a standardised GBV reporting form, expanded case-management coaching and survivor-centred service pilots.
- Exchanged lessons learned from both national and sub-national interventions.
- Mapped joint priorities for July 2025 – June 2026, focusing on coaching and mentoring of government partners to embed quality standards.
Voices from the workshop
“This workshop sharpens our understanding of what needs to be done each year and what support and collaboration are required between government and SIPs.”
— H.E. Tes Chansaroeun, Under-Secretary of State, MoWA
“ACCESS 2’s Year 3 focus is on hands-on coaching at sub-national level so that services align more closely with survivor priorities and government systems.”
— Ms Sophia Cason, Team Leader, ACCESS 2
Key outcomes
- Joint workplans drafts discussed for each province, outlining clear roles, timelines and indicators.
- Continued piloting and scale-up of the GBV Reporting Form and survivor-centred case-management tools.
- Commitment to quarterly learning reviews to track progress and course-correct quickly.
Looking ahead
The agreed Year 3 plan will drive more consistent, data-led and survivor-focused GBV services. By strengthening coordination between MoWA, PDoWAs and SIPs, ACCESS 2 is helping Cambodia move closer to its vision of safe, inclusive and responsive support for all GBV survivors.
