1.
The impact of Gender Policy
Processes on the Right to Food:
The case of Cambodia
Author: Margherita Maffii, Gender Specialist
Study commissioned by FAO Right to Food, Rome
Results of the Discussion and Validation Workshop
March 22nd 2016, Phnom Penh

2.
Study Objective
 To identify possible approaches for the
development of activities on the Right to
Food in Cambodia
 With Gender policies and initiatives now at
work in the country as an entry points

3.
Cambodia Food Security and Nutrition
 Food security at macro level achieved
Cambodia is a food exporter
 Sharp decline of poverty since 2008
 A significant share of the population living just
above the poverty line and is highly vulnerable
 Food insecurity still affecting part of the
rural population whose primary occupation
is food production
 Women and children among those most affected

4.
Trends in food poverty and malnutrition (CARD, 2014)
Nutrition and Poverty - a complex correlation
Source: CDHS 2000, 2005, 2010, CSES 2004 and 2009 Food Security Trend Analysis Report NIS.

5.
Contributing Factors
Poverty and malnutrition more concentrated in rural areas
• Cambodia households even in rural areas are food purchaser
• Vulnerability to climate change, floods and droughts, with women
disproportionally vulnerable
• Households headed by women (± 20% of total) more likely to
be poor
• Rural families indebtedness – high interest rates
• Relented growth in the agricultural sector (± 1%)
• Migration from rural areas (1-2 millions)
• Impaired access to natural resources, land, forests and water
• Fragmentation of land property and disparities in land tenure
Data from NIS, CARD, ADB, WB, and other Research Reports

6.
Cambodia’s Commitment to Gender Equity,
Food Security and Social Protection
• Royal Government Rectangular Strategy (2013) Gender Equity
Nutrition and Social Protection as key engagements for the
government.
• National Strategic Development Plan, (NSDP, 2014) recognizes little
improvement in children and women nutrition and vulnerability as
well as obstacles in implementing policies in various societal sectors
• The Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, CARD,
advisory and coordinating body and key national entity in charge of
elaborating the food security and social protection strategies
• National Food Security and Nutrition Strategy, 2014-2018
• National Social Protection Strategy 20010, updated to 2018

7.
The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, MoWA, national machinery for the
promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment:
• Is in charge of preparing the National Strategic Plan for Gender
Equality and Women’s Empowerment and periodical assessments
of the status of women, Cambodia Gender Assessment
• Chairs the Technical Working Group on Gender, coordinating the
formulation of policies, legislation, strategies, and aid effectiveness
at central and subnational level and is responsible for monitoring
and evaluating policies’ and programs’ compliance with
government goals
• Is actively involved in the designing, planning and implementation
of the Decentralization process in other cross-cutting processes
acting directly, or through:
• The Gender Mainstreaming Action Groups (GMAGs) within line
ministries providing sector gender plans and strategies
Key institutions in charge of
Gender Policies and Plans

8.
Gender Sectoral Policies
• Documents developed by Gender and Children Working Groups
within line Ministries, GCWG
• GCWG in Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, MAFF,
2016-2020 developed a sound Gender Mainstreaming Policy and
Strategic Framework supported by an articulated gender analysis
that recognizes key problems faced by rural women in the process
of agrarian change
• The Gender Working Group in MAFF is decentralized at the
provincial level with focal points who have actively participated in
the drafting and the validation of the document
• The plan opens many opportunities for interventions in the sector,
including at subnational level

9.
Key Decentralization process steps and Gender:
– Commune Councils, elected,
– Provincial and District Councils (Organic Law), indirect election
– First Phase 3 Years Plan IP3-I, focus on the framework for
development planning processes at district and commune level
– Commune Women’s and Children Committees, created in the first
phases, then MoWA District and Provincial Women and Children
Committees, recommending, advocating and coordinating services
targeting women and children
– Second Phase IP3 Plan, focus on reform management, democratic
accountability, human resource management & development, service
delivery & functions, and fiscal decentralization (strengthening
citizens’ active participation ) but focus on districts
– In IP3-II responsibility for Gender mainstreamed over all the functions
and capacities of the structure.
Gender and Decentralization

10.
Development Aid and Civil Society Organisations
• Gender and Food Security & Social Protection sectors receive support
from main Development Aid partners (UN Agencies, Multilateral and
Bilateral Aid)
• Key areas include emergency food assistance, poverty reduction, market
access, climate adaptation and resilience, infrastructures and irrigation,
training and extension, extension, etc.
• Around 300 International NGOs and 3000 Local NGOs in 2014; after more
than 20 years of interventions new trends:
– From essentially service providers NGOs move to support of communities’ participation
in development, through capacity building, support to representation structures (fishery,
forestry, water and producers committees) implementing institutional development
partners’ projects;
– Networks and coalitions, with increasing advocacy and campaign focus
– Great participation of women, reflected also by Gender organisations
(CEDAW NGOs Coalition)

11.
Conclusions
• Institutional commitment reflected by policies to address Food
insecurity and Malnutrition, Social Protection as well as Gender
Equality Policies and Gender Mainstreaming Processes
• Decentralization moving toward significant devolution of decision
making power and strengthening of local structures
• Relevant Sectoral Gender mainstreaming processes in particular
agriculture
• Civil society organizations with experience and practice in adopting
women’s based agendas and food rights approaches
• Strong needs expressed by citizens

12.
Challenges
Obstacles in policies implementation:
• Empowerment of the subnational governance machinery
• Lack of models of intervention in the social sector at local level
New socio-economic phenomena:
• Migration; negative trend in agricultural growth; feminization of
agriculture; vulnerability to climate change; increased inequalities of
access to resources and inputs
Difficult dialogue between citizens and institutions
• Uncertainty concerning public dialogue and spaces for citizens’
participation
• People’s rights claims perceived as a challenging area
• Deterioration of the democratic and social dialogue in view of elections

13.
CARD
Integrated Community
Based Nutrition
Interventions and other
initiatives
Civil Society
Organisations
Experiences and practice
in adopting women’s
based agendas and food
rights approaches and
other initiatives
MAFF Gender
Mainstreaming
Working Group
Gender Framework in
Agriculture and other
initiatives
MoWA
Vulnerable Women’s
Rights Component and
other initiatives
IP-II
Decentralization
Services provision
and citizens
participation models
for accountability
FAO and Development
Partners
Technical backstop
Research
Information platform for
innovation and other
initiatives
Possible Entry Points

14.
Tentative Initiative on Gender
and Right to Food
Gender and Right to Food Working Group
• Chaired by MAFF Gender and Children Working Group
• Gathering the different institutional stakeholders
(CARD, MoWA, NCDD others)
• Gathering key Civil Society stakeholders (Action Aid,
BS, Oxfam, others)
• Technical and research support from Development Aid
Partners FAO