SSS #10: ASEAN-Japan Cambodia Research Report

Seijo University’s International Research Center for Sports and Gender Equality (SGE) operates the YouTube channel "Sport for Social Solutions (SSS)." This channel highlights sports as a platform for addressing social issues, featuring a wide range of guests including experts, government officials, and athletes to share information and exchange ideas.

Seijo University’s International Research Center for Sports and Gender Equality YouTube Channel:

The theme of SSS Episode 4 is "ASEAN-Japan Cambodia Research Report."

Cambodia, having gained independence from the French colonial rule in 1953, has endured a turbulent history marked by coups, civil war, and the brutal Pol Pot regime. Given this historical context, how is sports participation for women and girls perceived in Cambodia today?

As part of the Japan Sports Agency initiative, SGE leads the "ASEAN-JAPAN Actions on Sport: Gender Equality" project, where Japan and the governments of 10 ASEAN countries collaborate to promote gender equality through sports. A key component of this project is a research initiative launched in 2023 to identify challenges and needs related to women’s and girls’ sports participation across ASEAN-JAPAN.

In 2023, studies were conducted in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Cambodia was selected as the fourth country for the 2024 research phase. Postdoctoral researchers Yu Furuta and Yushi Miyazawa visited Cambodia to conduct fieldwork and share their findings.

Barriers to Women’s Sports Participation in Cambodia

Similar to the previous research in other countries, Cambodian women are expected to take on household roles such as childcare and domestic work. While more women are now joining the workforce, balancing employment with family responsibilities has increased their burden, leaving little time for sports participation.

She also noted that cultural biases do not seem to be a major factor. Interviews did not reveal the belief that “women’s status is too low for them to play sports” or that “women lack the ability to engage in sports.” She emphasized that a key challenge moving forward is how to establish a system that enables women to participate.

Cambodia’s History and Resilience

During the research trip, the team visited Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, a former high school repurposed by the Pol Pot regime as a detention and torture center. Yushi reflected, “People live just across the street from this facility, right in the city center. I strongly felt that the country isn’t trying to erase this history but instead, they are using it as a foundation for building a stronger future.”

Since the Khmer Rouge era wiped out much of Cambodia’s older population, the country is now predominantly young. Yushi noted that “Cambodia’s sports policies are still developing, but this also means there’s significant potential for change and innovation.”

Sports as an Educational Tool

In Cambodia, sports are categorized under the ministry of education, reflecting their importance in nation-building efforts. Yu emphasized, “There’s a strong commitment to shaping the country’s future through young people, and sports are seen as part of that vision.” Given the educational value of sports, it’s crucial to further promote women’s and girls’ participation.