On 18 March 2025, the Australia-Cambodia Cooperation for Equitable Sustainable Services – Phase 2 (ACCESS 2) program, funded by the Australian Government, hosted a key consultation workshop on the draft training manual for Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI). This initiative aimed to strengthen the capacity of national and sub-national government counterparts and Strategic Implementing Partners (SIPs) in delivering high-quality gender-based violence (GBV), disability inclusion, and rehabilitation services.
The workshop was part of ACCESS 2’s ongoing efforts to ensure service providers across Cambodia are fully equipped to meet the needs and uphold the rights of vulnerable and marginalised populations, including women with disabilities, indigenous women, ethnic minority women, and LGBTQI+ community members. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA), the Ministry of Interior, SIPs from GBV and Disability Inclusion workstreams, and LGBTQI+ representatives.ACCESS 2 Team Leader, Ms Sophia Cason, underscored the importance of stakeholder engagement in refining the GEDSI training manual. “Input from technical teams at national and sub-national levels is essential to enhance our collective capacity to effectively support vulnerable groups and survivors of GBV,” Ms Cason stated in her opening remarks.
Through interactive group discussions and collaborative feedback sessions, participants thoroughly reviewed and provided critical insights into the draft GEDSI training manual. The feedback gathered will ensure the manual is practical, contextually relevant, and strengthens the capacity of service providers in GBV response and prevention.
Key follow-up actions include revising the training manual based on participant feedback, conducting practical training sessions to identify implementation challenges, and organising a validation workshop. Once finalised, a comprehensive Training of Trainers (ToT) program will be rolled out.
This capacity-building initiative aligns with ACCESS 2’s Annual Work Plan (2024-2025) and its commitment to strengthening coordination and implementation of the GBV National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women (NAPVAW) and the National Disability Strategic Plan (NDSP). It also contributes to ACCESS 2’s objectives of improving service quality and enhancing referral pathways through strengthened technical capacity among GBV frontline service providers.
Moreover, this strategic GEDSI training approach reinforces Australia’s ongoing commitment to gender equality, disability inclusion, and social equity in Cambodia. It plays a crucial role in achieving ACCESS 2’s overarching goal: ensuring survivors of GBV and persons with disabilities receive improved, high-quality, and coordinated services.
ACCESS 2 remains committed to working closely with government counterparts and local stakeholders, further strengthening Australia’s partnership with Cambodia in promoting inclusive development and addressing key social challenges, including GBV and disability inclusion.
