Australia’s ACCESS 2 program is partnering with Cambodian ministries and local experts to make services for women affected by gender-based violence more inclusive, better-coordinated and easier to reach.
A milestone gathering – 30 July 2025
The Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA) chaired the third GBV Workstream meeting, bringing provincial officials and ACCESS 2 partners together to review progress and align the next six-month workplan.
Who was in the room: MoWA; Provincial Departments of Women’s Affairs (PDoWAs) in ACCESS 2 target provinces; the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs; the Disability Action Council; Interior/NCDDS; ACCESS 2 Strategic Implementing Partners (SIPs); the Australian Embassy; and the ACCESS 2 team.
What moved forward
- Tech-facilitated GBV: mapping referral pathways with cyber-crime and forensic units to make digital-age cases safer and faster to prosecute.
- Evidence into action:
- CARE shared GEDSI findings from Ratanakiri.
- TPO highlighted the mental-health burden on frontline GBV staff.
- UN Women updated SOP coordination and prevention approaches.
- UNFPA outlined the pilot roll-out of GBV case-management guidelines.
Australian Embassy Portfolio Lead Ms Sothearoth Hel praised provincial leadership and SIP collaboration, noting that joint learning “turns challenges into practical solutions.”
Decisions & next steps
- Six-month collaborative workplan endorsed by H.E. Nhean Sochetra, Director General, Social Development Department, MoWA.
- Immediate priorities:
- Expand mental-health support for service providers via MoH.
- Sharpen monitoring & documentation so provinces can track service quality, accessibility and timeliness.
Quote from H.E. Nhean Sochetra
“The workplan we endorsed today is more than a document, it is a shared commitment to ensure every survivor receives timely, dignified support, and that our systems stay inclusive and evidence-driven as Cambodia moves forward.”
Why this matters
This Workstream drives two ACCESS 2 Intermediate Outcomes:
- Higher-quality, survivor-centred GBV services delivered by trained providers.
- Policies and plans that respond to women and people with disabilities.
By tackling tech-facilitated GBV, provider wellbeing and data quality, the partnership keeps Cambodia on course for ACCESS 2’s End-of-Investment Outcome, sustainable, equitable services nationwide, while advancing Australia’s broader goal to end violence against women and girls.
