In Cambodia, women and girls continue to be subjected to physical, psychological, sexual and economic violence, cutting across all divisions of income, culture and class in their daily public and private spheres. In contexts where women and girls face additional barriers in access to human rights, protection and justice they often experience additional risks for violence against women. This includes but is not limited to women with disabilities, women living with HIV, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women, sex workers, entertainment workers, garment factory workers and other female employees, women who use drugs or their partners use drugs, women in prisons, indigenous women and women from religious or ethnic minorities. There is no one single cause of violence against women in Cambodia. Different forms of violence against women are driven by a combination of factors at the individual, relationship, community and societal level and therefore need to be addressed through a variety of interventions.

Women have an important role in Cambodian society and are the backbone of the national economy and social development. Laws and policies relating to the prevention of violence against women started through the 1st National Action Plan to Prevention of Violence Against Women 2009-2012.

This National Action Plan lays down key strategies to prevent violence against women that is still a key berrier preventing women from participating in social development. Among others, it is a legal framework for the government to protect victims and stranslating commitiment in real life in promoting gender equality in the society.