The lush landscapes of Ratanakiri province stand as a beacon of hope and strength for indigenous women and girls.
A proud Tampoun, Savath Savoeun dedicated her life to uplifting her community at Seda commune, Lumphat district as she carries her usual days as the member of the commune council. At the mere age of 35, Savoeun has already spent seven years serving as a member of the council and in addition, actively addressing issues of gender-based violence (GBV) as part of the Gender Based Violence Response Working Group in the District.
Savoeun has an unwavering commitment to support women and children of her community. Coupled with her advocacy activities in the community, she has earned the utmost respect and admiration.
Savoeun’s journey towards empowering indigenous women begins with her role in providing essential counseling and assistance to GBV survivors, monitoring cases and support legal assistance. Through training sessions and awareness campaigns in communes and villages, she ensures that women are educated about their rights and are encouraged to report cases.
“My proud moment at works were when I witness positive transformation in the lives of GBV survivors, as they gain courageous to break free from the cycle of violence. I am also content with the fact that GBV survivors trusted in my mechanism to solve.” She said.
Savoeun’s line of work comes with challenges. Her obstacles ran from limited supports from stakeholders to the urgent need for immediate solutions which challenge someone in the role like her. This is where Savoeun needs to provide legal guidance to survivors and go through the complexity of the procedure.
“To also protect myself in this line of work, I collaborate with local authorities like commune and GBV groups at the district and provincial levels for their advice and cooperation. I kept highest confident of GBV survivors and while I do often visit their home, I work with commune police during the visit.” She added.
As the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women approaches, Savoeun’s message to her community resonates with urgency and compassion.
