UC and PHD Celebrate the 16 Days of Action and White Ribbon Campaign

By No Sophearith

The University of Cambodia (UC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs amd People Health Development (PHD) Association, hosted a program to celebrate the 16 Days of Action and White Ribbon Campaign, which aims to stop violence against women and children. The program was hosted on December 3 at UC and consisted of several components: an opening session, a skit, a question and answer session, and a certificate presentation ceremony. H.E Samraing Kamsan, Senior Adviser to the President of UC and Secretary of State for the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and H.E. Hor Malin, Under-Secretary of State for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, delivered remarks at the event, which was widely attended by Associate Deans, staff members, and students. Por Malis, Vice President for Operations at UC, and Ou Rattanak, Executive Director of PHD, co-facilitated the event.

(Left to right) Por Malis, Vice President for Operations, H.E. Samraing Kamsan, Member of the Board of Trustees and Secretary of State for the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, H.E. Hor Malin, Under-Secretrary of State for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, and Ou Ratanank, Executive Director of PHD, delivered speeches at the event and discussed the importance of the White Ribbon Campaign.

The skit, performed by UC students, focused on violence in society and its underlying message was that everyone has a responsibility to stop violence and to speak up against it. Afterward, students participated in a question and answer contest related to the campaign; students who won answered the most questions correctly were designated as winners of the contest and were given prizes. At the end of the event, certificates were presented to students who served as peer educators in Life Skills Training workshops organized by PHD.

This was the second time UC cooperated with PHD to celebrate the 16 Days of Action White Ribbon Campaign, with the first one being in 2010. All participants and distinguished guests were given a document detailing the history of the White Ribbon Campaign and a white ribbon to wear as a sign of their commitment to stop all kinds of violence on women and children.

H.E. Hor Malin presented gifts to winners of the question and answer session

A number of peer educators also went into classrooms to give the white ribbons to students and lecturers, who were encouraged to wear the ribbon on the left side of their chest to signify that they will make a heartfelt commitment to stop violence against women and children.

The White Ribbon Campaign was first created in 1991 by men in Canada who committed themselves to stopping violence against women. This campaign spread to over 57 countries around the world and is now an international effort that works to end violence against women and children, with its basic principle being that it is very important for men and boys to speak out against all forms of violence against women. This campaign is celebrated in universities across Cambodia and offers students an opportunity to learn about the campaign and to participate in positive activities that benefit society

Source: UC Bulletin December 2011, Page 18