Domestic Violence Workshop - January 26-30, 2004

In January 2004, Professor William A. W. Neilson and Ms Helen Lansdowne, Director and Assistant Director, respectively, of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI) delivered a workshop in Phnom Penh on the topic of domestic violence legislation. The workshop was held for 20 legal researchers of the Secretariats of the National Assembly and Senate of Cambodia.
Objectives

The general objective of the workshop was to improve the researchers' understanding of the social and legal context of domestic violence in Cambodia, the legislative models for preventing domestic violence and assisting the victims of domestic violence, and comparing the Cambodian legislative experience with experience in a number of other Asian states.

Program Methodology

Discussion materials for the workshop were translated into Khmer and distributed two weeks prior to the event. Each session featured a number of small group exercises by the participants, including reports by each study team to the plenary group. Different spokespersons were chosen on each occasion by the study teams. The reports prepared by each study team formed the basis for the collective briefing note (prepared in both Khmer and English), which was presented on the final day of the workshop. It was agreed that the briefing note would be used by the participants in preparing for their upcoming Study Tours to the Philippines and Thailand, and in turn, would be presented to MPs and Senators (particularly those serving on the relevant commissions in the National Assembly and Senate) to assist in their review of the draft Domestic Violence Law which will likely be reintroduced into the National Assembly once its operations are resumed. The agenda of the workshop was as follows:

• Day One: Contextual Analysis of Domestic Violence - What is domestic violence?
• Day Two: Cambodian Draft Legislative Proposals on Domestic Violence
• Day Three: Regional Domestic Violence Legislation Comparisons
• Day Four: Group Briefing Note on Cambodian Approaches to Domestic Violence Legislation
• Day Five: Review of Proposed Briefing Note and Study Tour Preparations

At one instance during the workshop, a role-playing activity took place that featured a Khmer conversation between the prototypes of a 'skeptical male' and a 'no-nonsense female'. Participants took on the roles with much enthusiasm and the conversation summarized the dichotomy of views often held by men and women at the margins of debate over social issues. There were moments of levity and much insight arising from the conversation and overall it proved to be an excellent teaching vehicle.

The workshop sessions included presentations by members of local Cambodian NGO's, including Ms. Hor Phally, Executive Director of the Project Against Domestic Violence, Ms Oung Chanthol, Executive Director of the Women's Crisis Center, and Dr. Kek Gallabru, President of Licadho and Chair of the Cambodian Committee of Women. The participation by these three NGOs proved to be an effective way to demonstrate the value of consultation by Parliamentary staff with knowledgeable members of the community.

Participant Input

The staff worked well together during the workshop and were able to gain a more informed appreciation of the overall social context of domestic violence in Cambodia and the value of consulting with civil society to become better informed about the problem. They reached an informed understanding of the underlying principles of legislative drafting in domestic violence legislation and an appreciation of how comparative research can improve the development of Cambodian legislation governing victim assistance and the prevention of domestic violence. As a result of the workshop activities, the participants were able to prepare a collective briefing note summarizing their research results and providing findings and recommendations for consideration by the appropriate Commissions in both Houses of the Cambodian Parliament.