International Women’s Day Business Event Highlights Practical Solutions to Advance Women’s Leadership in Cambodia

EuroCham Cambodia and UN Women Cambodia, with support from the Australian Government, co‑hosted an International Women’s Day business engagement event on March 6 under the global 2026 theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”. The event brought together private sector leaders, government representatives, and gender-equality advocates to examine organisational barriers to women’s leadership and explore practical steps businesses can take to drive meaningful change.

Opening the event, Sophea Khun, Country Program Coordinator of UN Women Cambodia, and H.E. The Chhun Hak, Director General at the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, underscored that gender equality is both a human rights imperative and a foundation for inclusive and resilient economic development. They called on companies to move beyond symbolic commitments and translate principles into action.

“International Women’s Day is a powerful moment to reflect on progress and accelerate action towards gender equality," said Sophea Khun. “For businesses in Cambodia, it is important to look at how workplace policies, leadership decisions and supply chains can create real opportunities for women and strengthen inclusive economic growth.”

UN Women provided an introduction to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and related initiatives such as the Gender Action Lab and We Rise Together programmes, highlighting the frameworks and tools available to support companies in strengthening leadership accountability, workplace equality, and gender‐responsive business practices.

A presentation by Raksa Chan of DFDL set the stage for a deeper discussion on the legal and organisational factors that shape women’s participation in the workforce, noting that compliance alone is not enough to close persistent gaps.

The event’s central panel—moderated by Julie Keo, Board Member of EuroCham and Head of Cambodia EU Desk at DFDL—brought together leaders from COVA Cambodia, GAEA, and SuDrain for an honest conversation on sector-specific barriers, role segmentation in male-dominated industries, and practical interventions companies can adopt. Speakers emphasised that leadership decisions, organisational culture, and inclusive governance determine whether minimum standards translate into real opportunities for women.

“Hidden workplace culture is a challenge in itself—it’s a major issue. While the law may address the pay gap, it does not determine who ultimately reaches leadership positions," said Leila Rostom, Country Leader of COVA Cambodia. "We have to move beyond that norm and break the cycle. It means challenging the leadership pipeline. It shouldn’t be a boys’ club or a women’s club—it should be a space where we all work together."

“As a high leader of GAEA, we prefer to make decisions with the team. I rarely decide alone—we discuss issues together and reach decisions collectively. That’s how we run the company. Our policy is open to both men and women. As long as someone can perform the job, we welcome them—we do not discriminate,” added Chanvirak, General Manager of GAEA (Global Action for Environment Awareness).

“Women often bring a unique perspective. We think about how solutions affect people around us—whether it’s inclusion, disability, or children—and we incorporate those concerns into professional solutions,” said Thary Vorn, Founder and CEO of SuDrain.

An official WEPs Signing Ceremony, moderated by UN Women, celebrated companies who had recently endorsed the WEPs framework, and committed to advancing women’s leadership across their value chains. Sixteen new companies were welcomed into the Cambodia WEPs community.

Closing the event, Martin Brisson, Executive Director of EuroCham Cambodia, reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to supporting responsible and inclusive business practices. He noted that women’s leadership is a driver of innovation, competitiveness, and long-term prosperity, and encouraged companies to continue engaging with UN Women and the WEPs framework to accelerate progress.

The afternoon concluded with a networking reception, giving participants the opportunity to exchange experiences, deepen partnerships, and reflect on how the private sector can contribute to greater rights, justice, and action for all women and girls.

This press release was supplied.