Rural women strengthening climate resilience in Cambodia

Ms. Mout Pheavy, district official responsible for WASH in Sithor Kandal district, Prey Veng province, says she has gained invaluable knowledge that is empowering her to advocate for climate-resilient and inclusive WASH practices in Sithor Kandal district (Thrive Networks / East Meets West)

Meet Ms. Mout Pheavy, the district official responsible for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in Sithor Kandal district in Prey Veng province, Cambodia. Ms. Pheavy is one of the many women leaders helping to drive transformative change in WASH systems and services in Cambodia and build climate resilience within her community.

Supported by Australia through Water for Women, Thrive Networks / East Meets West is working in partnership with communities, rights holder organisations (RHOs), national, provincial and district governments across six climate-vulnerable provinces of Cambodia to integrate climate change adaptation knowledge and practical actions for WASH at the household and commune level.

The project provinces of Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kratie, Prey Veng, Pursat and Tboung Khmum are home to a combined population of around 5.4 million and are severely or medium affected by the impacts of climate change. However, the connection between WASH and climate change still lacks evidence, is ill-defined and generally poorly understood by key stakeholders in Cambodia. The Water for Women Community-Led Inclusive Climate-Resilient (CLICR) WASH project is working to improve this situation across 23 communes.

Rural women are at the heart of climate-resilient communities in Cambodia. As agricultural and informal workers with primary responsibility for unpaid domestic work, they are community water and WASH experts. Their voices, ideas and solutions are key to a sustainable future. That’s why women’s empowerment and participation in WASH decision-making and leadership is a core focus of the CLICR WASH project, as reflected in recent quarterly District Water Group (DWG) meetings in Sithor Kandal and Kampong Trabek districts, in Prey Veng.

Jointly convened by the Provincial Working Group (PWG) / PWG Secretariate for Prey Veng and Thrive Networks / East Meets West under the CLICR WASH project, the DWG meetings brought together 75 participants from 24 communes, including 21 women and RHO representatives. Among them were Ms. Mout Pheavy and women's RHO representative, Ms. Heav Ronny. Through their ongoing participation in DWG quarterly meetings and CLICR WASH workshops, both have gained valuable knowledge and are now advocates for climate-resilient and inclusive WASH practices in their communities.

"Through CLICR WASH workshops, data collection and field assessments in Ampil Krav commune, and this DWG quarterly meeting, I have gained invaluable knowledge. This has empowered me to effectively share insights about inclusive, climate-resilient WASH practices with my community in Sithor Kandal district."

- Ms. Mout Pheavy, district official responsible for WASH in Sithor Kandal

The meetings also heralded a pivotal shift from focusing on province-wide open defecation free status, which was achieved in Prey Veng in 2022, to building climate resilience and gender equality, disability and social inclusion within WASH so that it is accessible and sustainable for all.

In a remarkable achievement, through the collective efforts of PWG/PWGS and the DWG quarterly meetings, a substantial commune fund allocation was mobilised for WASH initiatives from March to June 2023, encompassing 100 communes across all 12 districts of Prey Veng. The commitment of Prey Veng province to allocate such significant financial support for CLICR WASH and broader WASH activities has set a powerful example for other provinces.

Prey Veng's exemplary progress has also not gone unnoticed. Those in Kratie province have pledged to follow in its footsteps, and Kampong Cham officials are interested to learn from their experiences. The ripple effect is telling, as more provinces also acknowledge the pivotal role of women in shaping climate-resilient and inclusive WASH policies and initiatives.

As the DWG quarterly meetings continue to pave the way for systemic change, they are having an indelible impact on WASH practices and policies throughout Cambodia. The power of climate-resilient and inclusive WASH, guided by women's voices and supported by governments, communities and RHOs, is shaping a healthier, more resilient future for generations to come.

The CLICR WASH project builds on the successes and achievements of the Water for Women Women-Led Output Based Aid project from 2018 to 2022. Partnering with Thrive Networks / East Meets West and partners in Cambodia, this project is leveraging established relationships with governments, private sector businesses, community and rights holder groups to deliver transformative and scalable WASH outcomes that reduce climate change impacts on communities before they occur and are sustainable. The CLICR WASH project aims to directly benefit some 27,507* people across the six climate-vulnerable project locations, including more than 19,000 women and girls, by the end of 2024.