Gender Equality in Local Governmental Institutions in Battambang, Battambang Province, Cambodia

Abstract

The aim of the study was to identify the current status of gender equality inside the governmental institution, to identify the perspective of male and female officials toward gender equality inside the governmental institution, and to develop the proper solutions to address the issues which forbidden an improvement of gender equality. In order to accomplish this, the researcher followed the concept of Alexander and Welzel who suggested that there are four aspect of gender equality: living condition, participation in civic actions, positional empowerment, and politic representative. Qualitative methodology was employed by the researcher while phenomenology was used to collect data. The study was taken in Battambang Provincial Hall, Battambang Municipal Hall, and 4 sangkats. There were 6 male and 6 female officials were selected for the semi-structured interview. Another 3 male and 3 female officials were invited to join the focus group discussion. Besides that, the researcher also participated in non-participant observation during the provincial councilor monthly meeting The result revealed that gender equality has been defined as the actions which share equal value between male and female in term of family and social in order to complete task equally within the institutions as well as without thinking over role and position. Benefit sharing within both male and female officials had been equally shared inside the institution while there was still lack of participants of female officials in term of politic representative. By the way, old mindset tends to become one of the barriers for women in term of decision making and sharing ideas. The researcher found out that male officials nowadays were able to open mind with female officials. They encouraged and motivated female officials to share ideas as well as to support them to work in senior position. Capacity building, skill improvement, and knowledge are things should be expanded more in order to reach gender equality inside the governmental institutions.