Muslim Women of Steung Thmey
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap, Cambodia
About 10 minutes from the Old Market, Siem Reap there's a small Cham Muslim community located in the Steung Thmey Village. In the community, women lead more separate lives than men. Like most people all over Cambodia, about three-quarters of Khmer Rouge regime's survivors were women. Some has become widows and became the head of their families. Despite women's crucial role in helping Cambodia recover, traditional gender inequality subsequently resurfaced in all realm of Cham life, including that of education. This has left a large proportion of Cham Muslim women with few literacy skills today. Women also appear to not participate actively in social or political affairs, instead, they follow the instructions of community religious leaders or their husband and fathers.
Poverty is a pervasive influence on women's lack of education and many of them are unable to complete school because they are put in charge of the families and household chores. In addition, such direct expenses for school fees, as well as indirect costs of the loss of labour to the household can be prohibitive for many families. Cultural and religious factors also have a strong role in preventing many Cham Muslim women from completing school. This represents a vicious cycle, wherein poverty forces girls to labour for the family instead of attending school. Without an education, women have little means of earning a living outside the home, reinforcing their impoverishment in the future.
Poverty is a pervasive influence on women's lack of education and many of them are unable to complete school because they are put in charge of the families and household chores. In addition, such direct expenses for school fees, as well as indirect costs of the loss of labour to the household can be prohibitive for many families. Cultural and religious factors also have a strong role in preventing many Cham Muslim women from completing school. This represents a vicious cycle, wherein poverty forces girls to labour for the family instead of attending school. Without an education, women have little means of earning a living outside the home, reinforcing their impoverishment in the future.
