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ADB and the Government of Cambodia Signed a $1.8 Million Grant to Empower Women

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (10 March 2006) - The agreement for a grant totaling US$ 1.8 million was signed Thursday 9 March 2006 by Asian Development Bank's Cambodia country director, Shyam P. Bajpai, Aun Porn Moniroth, secretary of state of economy and finance, and Ing Kantha Phavi, minister of women's affairs. ADB's executive director for Japan, Masaki Omura, who is in Cambodia for a four-day visit, along with Japanese ambassador to Cambodia, Fumiaki Takahashi, and other government dignitaries witnessed the signing at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The grant is to support an innovative project to empower women socially and economically and improved their well-being, financed from ADB's Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) will, among others, assist the Ministry of Women's Affairs to build a new Women's Development Center (WDC) facility at Siem Reap and upgrade an existing women's center at Kampong Chhnang into a WDC facility. WDCs are envisioned to be one-stop woman-friendly facilities that provide support beyond traditional skills training and promote greater participation for women in the mainstream economy.

Although women in Cambodia represent 52% of the total population, they are mostly involving in the informal sector and in low-productivity agriculture, and scarcely in the wage-earning formal sector. They face a limited rang of opportunities which limit them into certain occupations. "For women to participate in the formal sector and benefit from the increased importance and attention being paid to micro- and small enterprises, they must develop a market orientation in their economic and income-generating choices. They must be able to access capital and legal resources," says Mr. Bajpai.

The facilities will go beyond providing entrepreneurial skills training for women and to include the social and economic empowerment of women. Therefore, advocacy support, awareness campaigns. This will instill in poor women confidence and dignity, and improve their ability to meet their needs at home, at work, and in their community.

In addition, a business resource and information center will also be established in the WDCs to serve as a business startup referral service. Support, such as business incubator units and equipment and assistance in product development and business licensing, will be provided. These activities will be supported by capacity improvements among key Government and WDC staff.

The project will improve the quality of life of about 3,000 women, which can be translated to about 12,000 household members benefiting from women's improved skills and income.

The total cost of the project is $2.2 million, of which $1.8 million will be financed by the JFPR. The Government and members of the civil society will contribute the balance of $400,000. The Ministry of Women's Affairs is the executing agency for the project, which is due for completion around December 2009.

The JFPR was set up in 2000 with an initial contribution of Y10 billion (about $90 million). The Fund now stands at over $344 million.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance. Established in 1966, it is owned by 64 members - 46 from the region. In 2005, it approved loans and grants for projects totaling $6.95 billion, and technical assistance amounting to $198.8 million.

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