Mental Health & Access to Justice for Women
The Need for Our Program
TPO Cambodia councils women and girls suffering from the psychological consequences of abuse and violence, and helps them access justice.
In Cambodian society, and in particular in rural areas, problems continue to impede women from accessing to justice:
- domestic violence which is still considered a private matter by neighbors, police and local authorities
- a lack of functional support networks for women seeking help during the occurrence of violence
- poverty causing women to depend on their violent husbands
- a lack of appropriate services, including legal and psychological support with regards to gender-based violence issues
The Goals
With this project, TPO aims to increase access to justice for female survivors of domestic violence and provide access to effective psychosocial services in order to form a functional and visible support structure/network in the community.
Where?
This project is implemented in Kampong Thom and Siem Reap provinces. TPO has field offices in both locations from where the project activities are run. The project was developed and is implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and partner organizations.
Major Activities
Develop Community Resources
Mental Health Training by TPO for Community Resource People.
TPO identifies and trains potential community resource people (CRP) in selected villages based on detailed selection criteria. CRPs are those persons villagers would naturally seek help from when facing problems. After training by TPO they will act as the front-line defense against gender-based violence in their communities and as the first port of call for their fellow villagers experiencing such issues. CPRs will also be enabled to establish community-based mechanisms to monitor gender-based violence.
Psycho-Education
Community-wide information sessions as well as the dissemination of information, education and communication materials to the public will help improve villagers’ knowledge about gender-based violence and services available to them to help them.
Self-Help Groups
TPO establishes and facilitates self-help groups where women can express their feelings, build confidence, find effective ways to solve conflicts, and support each other. Self help-groups empower women and girls who are living with violence to understand more about themselves and their rights, and provide the opportunity to learn from each other and to experience mutual support.
Counseling
Further individual and family counseling will be provided to women and girls suffering from the psychological consequences of abuse and violence.
Establishing Referral Mechanisms
Self-Help Groups for men with mental health issues or who are abusing alcohol are part of TPO’s strategy for this project.
TPO works with others to ensure adequate referral for victims of gender-based violence:
- In cooperation with CRP and partner organizations, TPO identifies victims of gender-based violence who suffer from severe mental health and physical problems for further treatment.
- TPO works closely with the mental health clinic in Kampong Thom and Siem Reap to refer victims of gender-based violence who suffer from severe psychiatric conditions.
- TPO’s counselors also work closely with the Department of Women’s Affairs (DoWA) and partner organizations, in particular CWCC, AFESIP, LICADHO and ADHOC, in order to refer victims of gender-based violence who are in need of further medical, social, legal or economic services.
Donor
German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). http://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/383.html
This project is operating with support from Cambodia’s Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA)
For more information, please contact:
TPO KAMPONG THOM
Mr NUTH Lady
Kdey Village, Sangkat Prek Tahou, Steung Sen Town,
Kampong Thom Province
078 666 527 – tpoajwktp@tpocambodia.org
TPO SIEM REAP
Ms PENG Vanny
# 107 Khna Village, Chreav Commune,
Siem Reap, Siem Reap Province
063 64 02 045 – tpoajwsr@tpocambodia.org
Mental health psycho-education in communities by TPO helps women overcome violence and abuse, and access justice.