Cambodia Strengthens Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention with ILO Support for Trainer Development

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), has organized a 'Master Trainer' training course on "Facilitation Skills for Training on Gender-Based Violence and Harassment." The training took place from September 15-16, 2026, at the Ministry's headquarters. This initiative is part of the 8th MoU (2023-2027) and follows previous training sessions held in June and July on promoting gender equality and care-responsive work, as well as preventing and responding to gender-based violence in the workplace. A senior official from the Ministry highlighted that a safe, dignified, and violence-free working environment is fundamental for decent work, increased productivity, and sustainable economic development. Despite significant progress in improving labor conditions and protecting workers' rights, preventing and combating workplace violence and harassment, which can manifest in various forms, remains crucial. Such issues not only affect individual dignity and the physical and mental health of workers but also impact labor relations, productivity, business stability, and corporate reputation. The Ministry is continuously strengthening the enforcement of laws, policies, and mechanisms to ensure a safe and healthy, equitable, non-discriminatory, and violence-free workplace. This includes labor inspection mechanisms, anonymous complaint systems, the emergency hotline 1297, and labor dispute resolution mechanisms. National policies on gender mainstreaming, decent work, and employment opportunities are also being implemented, alongside training programs for stakeholders, including employer and worker organizations, through the National Institute of Labour. The Ministry congratulated the participants who successfully obtained their certificates as master trainers, expressing strong confidence that they will acquire new knowledge, skills, and experiences to conduct further training within factories, enterprises, companies, and other relevant parties. The "Better Factories Cambodia" (ILO-BFC) project was also thanked for its continued technical support in effectively preventing gender-based violence and harassment. Ms. Froukje Boele, Project Manager of ILO-BFC, and Mr. Chea Sophal, Head of the Labour Conditions Monitoring Unit of ILO-BFC, emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder participation in preventing and responding to gender-based violence and harassment at work. They reaffirmed the project's commitment to collaborating with the Ministry and partners to promote labor rights and contribute to building safe workplaces free from violence and harassment for all workers.