No visible difference: a women's empowerment process in a Cambodian NGO

Abstract

The lives of female Cambodian NGO staff are characterised by the contradictions of apparent freedom and multiple invisible constraints on their behaviour and choices. An empowerment process facilitated by an expatriate did not produce the expected responses of sisterhood and group action. Through a series of workshops, learning emerged about the context-dependent nature of concepts of empowerment, and the irrelevance of many Western models for other cultures. Fear and mistrust, rooted in both traditional culture and the post-conflict context, are powerful and profound blocks to change in women's lives. No visible difference in workplace behaviours appeared after the empowerment process. However, the women responded to new insights about their lives, beliefs, and culture in ways that had meaning for them; and they reported significant benefits for family and social relationships.

Aucune différence visible : un processus d'autonomisation des femmes au sein d'une ONG cambodgienne

La vie des femmes qui travaillent pour les ONG cambodgiennes se caractérise par les contradictions entre une liberté apparente et des contraintes invisibles multiples pesant sur leur comportement et leurs choix. Un processus d'autonomisation facilité par un expatrié n'a pas donné lieu aux réactions escomptées de solidarité féminine et d'action collective. À travers une série d'ateliers de travail, il a été possible d'en apprendre davantage sur la nature dépendant du contexte des concepts d'autonomisation, et sur le caractère peu pertinent de nombreux modèles occidentaux pour d'autres cultures. La peur et la méfiance, ancrées dans la culture traditionnelle ainsi que dans le contexte post-conflit, constituent des obstacles puissants et profonds à tout changement dans la vie des femmes. Aucune différence visible n'est apparue dans les comportements sur les lieux de travail après le processus d'autonomisation. Cependant, les femmes ont réagi aux nouvelles manières de voir leur vie, leurs croyances et leur culture de façons qui ont un sens pour elles ; et elles ont signalé des avantages significatifs pour les relations familiales et sociales.

Sem diferença visível: um processo de empoderamento de mulheres em uma ONG cambojana

A vida de funcionárias de uma ONG cambojana é caracterizada pelas contradições da aparente liberdade e múltiplos limites invisíveis em seu comportamento e escolhas. Um processo de empoderamento promovido por um expatriado não produziu as respostas esperadas de irmandade e ação de grupo. Através de uma série de workshops, surgiu um aprendizado sobre a natureza dependente do contexto dos conceitos de empoderamento e a irrelevância de vários modelos ocidentais para outras culturas. Medo e desconfiança, arraigados na cultura tradicional e no contexto pós-conflito, são obstáculos poderosos e profundos para mudar a vida das mulheres. Nenhuma diferença visível apareceu após o processo de empoderamento nos comportamentos no local de trabalho. Porém, as mulheres responderam a novas ideias sobre suas vidas, convicções e cultura de maneira que fizesse sentido para elas; e elas relataram benefícios significativos para as relações familiares e sociais.

Ninguna diferencia discernible: el proceso de empoderamiento de mujeres en una ONG camboyana

Las vidas de las mujeres trabajadoras de una ONG camboyana se caracterizan por las contradicciones entre una aparente libertad y las múltiples restricciones invisibles que coartan su comportamiento y sus opciones. El proceso de empoderamiento facilitado por una trabajadora extranjera no produjo la esperada hermandad entre mujeres ni acciones colectivas. El análisis resultante de una serie de talleres reveló que los conceptos de empoderamiento están ligados al contexto y que muchos modelos occidentales son irrelevantes para otras culturas. El arraigado temor y la desconfianza que se encuentran en culturas tradicionales y en contextos de posconflicto constituyen poderosos escollos para transformar la vida de las mujeres. No hubo una diferencia perceptible de las actitudes en el trabajo tras el proceso de empoderamiento. Sin embargo, las mujeres asimilaron nuevos conocimientos sobre sus vidas, creencias y cultura de manera provechosa; también reconocieron los avances importantes que lograron para sus relaciones familiares y sociales.

Keywords:

• Civil society
• Gender and diversity
• Methods
• East Asia

Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the bravery, honesty, and enthusiasm of the women who participated in the workshops, without which no learning or change could have happened.

Notes

Literally translated ‘rules for women’, the chbap srei is a code of conduct for women that has been transmitted down from generation to generation for centuries in Cambodia, until relatively recently being taught in schools. It takes the form of a mother's advice to her daughter, prescribing how she should behave.

When this was informally explored with a number of different agencies, it appeared that gender policies were applied only to programme matters; no links were made to the need to support the development of their own female staff.

After the first workshop all VBNK's female staff attended. The numbers changed over the period of the workshops as staff came and went, as people went on maternity leave, and, on occasions, as interns joined the group. On average there were 15 women in each of the workshops.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jenny Pearson

Jenny Pearson has been living and working in Cambodia for 14 years, having previously worked in the UK public sector. She holds qualifications in Social Work and a Master's in Public Sector Management. She was the founding Director of VBNK and is now consulting and writing on capacity development issues.