Gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) is an Australian Government priority. It impacts every sector and level of society. Equality and inclusion are essential to addressing economic barriers in Cambodia and contributing to a resilient economy. This is why we incorporate GEDSI into everything we do.

CAPRED aims to ensure that women, people with disabilities and those from marginalised groups fully take part in, and benefit from, economic development and investments. CAPRED addresses underlying social norms, supports women’s representation as business owners and leaders in the private sector, and promotes GEDSI transformative policies and practices in government policy and the private sector.

In Cambodia, women are over-represented in the informal workforce. Women are more likely than men to be in unpaid or insecure employment, to work in poor conditions and to lack the benefit of social protection schemes. Concentrated rural poverty and the widening urban–rural gap are significant barriers to inclusive growth. People with disabilities have a higher risk of poverty and are almost 20% less likely to be employed. Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities are marginalised and vulnerable, with higher rates of landlessness and significantly poorer health and lower rates of literacy.

CAPRED uses an intersectional approach to promote equality and inclusion. We integrate GEDSI into everything we do by considering the different interests, needs, vulnerabilities and challenges of stakeholders and providing equitable opportunities to engage and benefit. CAPRED also implements target activities focusing on representation, prevention of violence against women and marginalised people, the care economy, and transformative enterprise development. GEDSI-transformative engagement in enterprise development offers a significant opportunity to improve the lives of women, people with disability and marginalised people.

The care economy

Cambodian women are disproportionately responsible for unpaid care work. Cambodian men do less than 9% of total unpaid care work, the second-lowest rate among 67 countries (International Labour Organization).

Women’s care load is a major constraint to their opportunities in work, business, leadership, education, personal development and leisure.

Recognition of care work is critical to gender equality and wider social and economic benefits. Childcare is an essential infrastructure and is low carbon and gender smart with widespread benefits. The privately owned care business sector in Cambodia is likely to grow rapidly in the coming years, including in elderly care.

CAPRED is contributing to building a strong, inclusive care sector and care economy in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia and private companies.

GEDSI and climate change

Women and other marginalised people are disproportionately affected by climate change, in Cambodia as elsewhere. CAPRED recognises the critical and urgent issue of climate change and its connections with social inclusion. CAPRED seeks to integrate climate resilience into all our approaches and activities and actively pursues opportunities to support climate entrepreneurship in GEDSI-led businesses.