Cultivating Grassroots Feminist Empowerment: A Case Study of Gender and Development for Cambodia

Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC) is pleased to be featured in the latest discussion paper by the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS), titled “Cultivating Grassroots Feminist Empowerment: A Case Study of Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC).”

Authored by Eunice B. Santiago and published under the Program on Alternative Development (AltDev), the discussion paper presents a qualitative case study of GADC’s work in Rolea B’ear District, Kampong Chhnang Province, exploring how feminist approaches can support communities to challenge unequal power relations and strengthen collective agency.

Exploring Feminist Empowerment from the Ground Up

The paper looks at how GADC understands and practices empowerment not simply as an outcome, but as an ongoing process. Through feminist education, community engagement, safe spaces, and dialogue, communities are supported to build critical consciousness, confidence, agency, and collective action.

The study highlights several approaches used by GADC, including Gender Cafés, Men’s Dialogue, community organizing, feminist education, and localized dialogues with women and men. These spaces provide opportunities for community members to discuss gender norms, power relations, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and other issues affecting their everyday lives.

Importantly, the discussion paper also examines how different forms of power—power from within, power to, and power with—can emerge through grassroots feminist practice. These processes enable community members to recognize their own agency, take action on issues that matter to them, and work collectively to create more inclusive and supportive communities.

Connecting Community Experiences with Wider Advocacy

The paper also highlights the importance of connecting grassroots experiences with broader advocacy and policy processes. Lessons emerging from community-level work can contribute to policy monitoring, national mechanisms, and regional feminist solidarity networks.

For GADC, this reflects the importance of creating spaces where people can not only gain knowledge but also share their experiences, question existing social norms, build solidarity, and collectively identify ways to create change within their communities.

We are grateful to UP CIDS and Eunice B. Santiago for documenting and highlighting these experiences from Kampong Chhnang and for contributing to broader discussions on grassroots feminist empowerment and alternative development.

📖 Read the full discussion paper:
Cultivating Grassroots Feminist Empowerment: A Case Study of Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC)

Author: Eunice B. Santiago
Publisher: University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS)
Program: Program on Alternative Development (AltDev)
Case study location: Rolea B’ear District, Kampong Chhnang Province