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Phnom Penh authorities have refused permission for an International Women’s Day gathering at Freedom Park, steering organizers away from the capital’s traditional protest site and warning of legal consequences if they proceed.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Administration rejected a March 4 request from dozens of trade unions and rights groups to hold a weekend event expected to draw about 500 people at the downtown plaza, organizers said Thursday. Authorities instead told the groups to stage the celebration at their own offices or a private venue.
The city also cautioned that if the event went ahead and “disrupted security, public order or social stability,” organizers could face legal action.
Dor Samphors, spokesperson for the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration, said the administration had not banned the celebration itself but rejected the venue because it “did not align with the intended purpose of the site.”
She asserted that Freedom Park was established for demonstrations and expression of opinions, not for celebrations or commemorative ceremonies.
“Such ceremonies have never been held there,” Samphors said.
Civil society groups held an International Women’s Day event at Freedom Park as recently as last year, attended by nearly 80 organizations.
Organizers called the rejection disappointing and at odds with the government’s stated commitment to promote the rights of women and children.
“March 8 is also an official public holiday in Cambodia,” said Vorn Pao, president of the Independent Democracy of Informal Economic Association, one of the organizing groups, referring to International Women’s Day, which marks its 115th anniversary this year.
He said barring the celebration from Freedom Park undercut constitutional principles and appeared to discriminate against independent organizations, noting that other events have been held at the plaza.
Yang Sophorn, president of the Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions (CATU), echoed Pao’s concerns.
“Our goal is to ensure that relevant stakeholders understand the priority issues facing women and girls and provide solutions for them,” said Sophorn, adding that Freedom Park offers a large venue to help spread awareness.
Organizers cited violence and discrimination faced by women and girls in Cambodia.
A government report covering 2021–2022 found that one in five Cambdoian women who had ever been in a relationship experienced emotional, physical or sexual violence from a current or most recent partner. Rights groups have long called on the government to amend its two-decade-old law on the prevention of domestic violence and the protection of victims.
Civil society groups have also pressed for expanded protections for women workers.
Representatives from more than 50 unions and civil society organizations submitted a petition to the government on March 5 calling for Cambodia to ratify International Labour Organization Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work (C-190).
They said ratifying the convention would strengthen existing commitments by establishing a comprehensive framework to prevent and address violence and harassment in the workplace. The groups cited reports of women facing gender-based violence when advocating for their labor rights and fundamental freedoms.
“This is why the union movement around the world celebrates International Women’s Day – because it is about labor, it is about the work of labor, and about ensuring respect in all areas of life,” said William Conklin, country program director of the Solidarity Center Cambodia.
Peng Sokhim, 54, a brick kiln worker in Kandal province, said celebrating International Women’s Day is important for raising women’s issues. She said that when labor rights are violated by kiln owners, workers’ voices are often not heard.
“C190 would be beneficial because we could have better wages and proper days off. In general, it would be very beneficial for workers,” she said. “I hope the government will speed up the process to help informal workers.”
