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Contributions from
the Column
Tribune
Forests – poor countries and climate protection
Quiet change – Buddhist women in Cambodia
Fighting corruption – an Indonesian case study
11/2005
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[ Gender equality ]
Quiet change
[ By Kristin Mundt ]
Donchee Ear Sokha knows all about sorrow and despair. The Cambodian nun counsels people in crisis situations. For instance, she is taking care of a young woman in need of help because her husband beats and abuses her when he’s drunk. Ear Sokha talks to her at length. Words such as rights and protection are used, although such concepts scarcely feature in the women’s everyday life experience.
Later, Ear Sokha visits the family at home in their village. She sees the grinding poverty and understands the inner shame and hopelessness the husband feels. She reminds him of the values and responsibilities expected of both partners in a Buddhist marriage, and of the real risk he faces of losing everything. She emphasises how much positive karma he could accumulate if he properly respected and cared for his family. The young man listens attentively.
“In Khmer, reconciliation is expressed by the words ‘kar phsas phsa’. Literally this is an ‘act of healing’ in the sense of a change of heart, which reunites people who have been separated by conflict”, explains Ear Sokha. The Buddhist way is one of tolerance and compassion, and does not differentiate between victim and perpetrator. On the contrary, it believes in “the peaceful inner development of each individual”.
Ear Sokha is a member of the Association of Nuns and Lay Women of Cambodia (ANLWC), which was founded in 1995 at the conclusion of a conference organised by the Heinrich Böll Foundation. The conference offered Cambodian nuns the first opportunity to discuss their role in society. Ever since, the ANLWC has been focusing on training programmes designed to improve the status of these women.
It is not unusual for an ANLWC member to intervene and mediate in cases of domestic violence. ANLWC members often succeed in restoring the physical and mental well-being of the wives and families concerned. They are also making the rural population aware of the fact that using force against women amounts to criminal assault and a violation of human rights.
In Cambodian villages, male violence is frequently ascribed to “female disobedience”, and is considered a private matter. It is estimated that one in six Cambodian women is abused by her husband. Four out of five of the women do not seek help – except perhaps from close friends or relatives. They do not go to a doctor or report incidents to the authorities. The latter, in any case, refuse to get involved in such disputes.
“The Cambodian parliament has passed a law designed to afford immediate protection to victims of domestic violence”, reports Peou Vanna, the head of the ANLWC. She considers this move an improvement, but insufficient to target the causes: “It is important to revive traditional perceptions of men and women, and the moral and ethical principles of coexistence through true Buddhist practice.”
Cambodia continues to suffer the repercussions of Pol Pot’s brutal regime of the 1970s and the decades of war and civil war which followed. Nearly all the country’s social structures were destroyed during this period. Unresolved issues from the past still cast long shadows over this traumatised society. The subsequent years have seen foreign systems imposed upon the country. Major economic and social upheaval have left young and old with quite different patterns of perception and understanding.
Economic liberalisation and privatisation went hand in hand with the devastation of natural resources. No mechanisms were in place to ensure compliance with legal norms. In spite of – or perhaps even because of – the significant amounts of financial aid from donors, poverty and inequality have grown. This is clearly stated in a critical self-reflection of the World Bank of November 2004.
Without fundamental governance reforms aimed at containing corruption and ensuring transparency, this defective democracy will not be able to reduce its level of poverty. But even if reforms were enforced in Cambodia, it would still take a long time before the living conditions in remote agricultural regions improved appreciably. It is therefore important to breathe new life into traditional institutions. The reality is that many people tend to seek guidance from the convents (“wats”) rather than from government authorities.
Life as a Donchee
This fact provides the nuns, who are known as “donchees”, with a solid base to fight poverty, social exclusion, the culture of violence and poor education. It is customary in Cambodia for a large number of mature women to commit themselves to living as donchees once their services as wives and mothers are no longer required. Many of them are either single or widows, excluded from mainstream society. Most are over 50 years of age and devote the final phase of their lives to Buddhist theory and practice, supporting their community and preparing themselves for the next life.
Cambodian donchees are subject to certain self-imposed obligations. They shave their heads and eyebrows, and dress in a white robe or a black skirt with white blouse. Some nuns live in the wats, while others live at home with support from their families. Their daily life is marked by hardship and austerity. Their standard of education is poor. Yet they have a wealth of life experience, and because they survived the prolonged years of war in particular, they are regarded as morally strong, dynamic and free from fear.
Traditionally, nuns in Cambodia are not fully ordained as are monks. They have an inferior status, which manifests itself in a lower standard of education and fewer opportunities for material well-being. “The ANLWC promotes the rights of nuns and lay women. We encourage them to improve their marginalised position and to play an active role in society”, reports Kim Souv, a coordinator of the organisation. This is especially relevant to those living in remote areas.
The network of the ANLWC now has about 16,400 members. It pools resources and information. The main aim is to give the women a sound training in Buddhist teachings and social work practices, giving them the opportunity to fully develop their spiritual and humanitarian potential. The training programme includes modern approaches to conflict resolution, peacekeeping, human rights, women’s rights, trauma therapy and legal counselling. The women also learn about the causes and circumstances which lead to family violence, human trafficking and prostitution, as well as HIV/Aids. The training sessions are designed to enable participants to convey their knowledge to others.
The new range of activities is challenging gender relations from outside and – thanks to the more professional approach of the women themselves – from the inside too. This is done in a non-threatening manner. Some women report that they are now supported by members of the community with donations of food and money. This was previously an exclusive privilege of male monks in connection with the Karma principle.
“Despite some exceptional progress, we have taken only our first steps on the long path to more gender justice”, says Peou Vanna. Her hopes are pinned on the younger generation and on the cooperation of international Buddhist organisations in other countries. A vision for the future would be for Cambodian donchees to be ordained, as is customary in Taiwan and Korea.
In February 2003, the “Promoting Girls in Education and Morality” project was started at the Wat Kosh training centre, to enable the 18 girls from poor families living with the nuns to receive a combined secular and Buddhist education. The future prospects of the most talented amongst them are considerable. Presently four of these girls are studying at the Fo Guang Shan University in Taiwan, from where they will graduate in four years with a Bachelor of Buddhism and Science degree.
Kristin Mundt
worked with the Association of Nuns and Lay Women of Cambodia (ANLWC) for three months on behalf of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. She is a student of culture and religion studies at Leipzig University.
terakasih@web.de
Literature:
World Bank, 2004:
“Cambodia at the Crossroads: Strengthening Accountability to Reduce Poverty”, Washington, D.C.
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