Context

Over the last 50 years, ASEAN region has seen an exponential economic growth, becoming the largest economy in 2019 with a gross domestic product (GDP) of around USD 3 trillion. In 2015, the average female labour force participation rate in Southeast Asian countries was close to 67%, a trend that is continuously growing. In the ASEAN countries, entrepreneurship is a vital source of economic growth and at the heart of the socio-economic life. Across the region, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), are the largest contributor to GDP and a strong source of job creation. MSMEs play a crucial role in income generation, poverty reduction and household welfare improvement.

Despite the high self-employment rate, women-owned businesses lag behind male-owned enterprises in terms of size, productivity, they tend to be less profitable and more vulnerable to economic shocks. Cambodia is no exception to the regional trend. Women earn less than men, tend to predominantly find employment in precarious and under-valued jobs, and struggle to reconcile family obligations with their businesses and work outside the family. As a result of the gendered social norms, women in Cambodia perform an average of 188 minutes of caring and household services per day compare to 18 minutes for men. Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) limits the time women have to build skills, knowledge and network outside the home, affecting their potential for starting and/or developing their businesses, and oftentimes forcing them to stop or reduce their paid work.

A large proportion of women are driven to entrepreneurship due to the lack of formal employment opportunities, and thus, self-employment is seen as the primary income generation source and a way of allowing them to balance their time with the care and family responsibilities. While home- based entrepreneurship affords women valued flexibility, this benefit is only a product of underlying gender inequality and women’s high domestic care burden. Urgent interventions are needed to enable women to pursue opportunity-based entrepreneurship in ventures with greater growth potential on par with their male counterparts.

The relationship between the institutional arrangement of family care policies and the development of women’s entrepreneurship is still new, however the evidence suggests that in order to support women entrepreneurship, policies need to support women’s participation in the labour market, this includes creating supportive infrastructure for workers and entrepreneurs with caring responsibilities and addressing unpaid care and domestic work. Continued action is needed towards the promotion of family care and social protection policies which can fundamentally changes gender norms and question patriarchy, recognize, reduce and redistribute UCDW, while positively impacting an array of issues, such as women entrepreneurship and leadership.

The RGC has recognized that strengthening women’s economic empowerment is a key priority for advancing gender equality in the country. The Neary Rattanak V strives to promote women entrepreneurship through expanded education, technical and vocational training for women, as well as promote work-life balance and care and enabling environments for women in economic activity, including those in informal economy. As such to forge ahead with government’s commitments and priorities, MoWA is according importance to empowerment, welfare and the well-being of women by steering policy discussion on the importance of family care policies and social protection as important tools for addressing UCDW and promote women empowerment and participation in the labour market in the ASEAN.

The event is part of a broader initiative of Oxfam, MoWA and ASEAN entities, such as ASEAN Committee on Women and ASEAN Secretariat, in advancing women empowerment, strengthening social protection and addressing the UCDW in ASEAN region. To forge ahead with ASEAN commitments, Oxfam has collaborated with ACW through developing briefing papers on UCDW and the role of social protection in addressing UCDW (link to the briefs here and here), as well through organization of joint events such as a web-forum to discuss the importance of addressing UCDW as a way of enhancing women’s economic empowerment in the ASEAN organized in December 2020, and an ASEAN Regional Forum on Social Protection that Empowers Women organized in 2021 (link here).

This forum will be attended by 200 participants physically and 500 participants virtually. They are the leadership and representation of Ministries, Provincial Departments, CSOs and trade unions, women entrepreneurs and self-employed diplomates, and development partners, academic community, including ASEAN Secretariat. The event is part of a broader initiative of Oxfam and MoWA, following Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2022,​and ASEAN Secretariat, in advancing women empowerment, strengthening social protection and addressing the Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) in ASEAN region.

WHAT: Advancing Women Entrepreneurship in ASEANthrough Family Care and Social Protection Policies
WHEN: 7 September 2022, 9 AM – 4:30 PM
WHERE: Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel and Residence

Objective

On the occasion of the 2nd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs of Cambodia together with Oxfam Cambodia are organizing a public forum designed to:

  • To increase awareness and understanding among key stakeholders about unpaid care and domestic work, family care policies and social protection;
  • Stir discussion among key stakeholders from Cambodia and ASEAN representatives about the role of family care policies and social protection in advancing women empowerment and unlocking women’s entrepreneurship potential.
  • Collect inputs, recommendations, suggestions to help further identify roadmaps for family care policies and social protection for women entrepreneurs in Cambodia and other ASEAN countries.

Outcome

A Summary will be prepared with the key messages from the discussions. A more extensive summary of the event’s deliberations will be prepared which can serve as a basis for MoWA contribution to the 2nd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit and for future family care oriented strategies and activities.

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Media coverages

Highlight of some pictures during the event