By Juliette Tafreschi, February 07, 2024

Who is behind the WE House initiative?
The Women Empowerment House (WE House) in Cambodia, was established in 2021 as a joint initiative by the GIZ project FABRIC, Solidarity Center, and Women Union Network (WUN) in order to support women textile workers in Cambodia. In Bangladesh and Myanmar these places have been offered through establishing Cafés and Centers for women workers with the aim of capacitating them to know and claim their rights.

How does WE House contribute to the empowerment of women workers, and what role does it play in enhancing their skills and knowledge for both professional and personal growth?
Awareness raising workshops, skills training and peer learning serve as an opportunity for these women to build their capacities and getting involved in improving their working conditions. The Centers act as catalyst to empower the women workers personally and professionally. The three most important services for its employees are training, counseling and an exchange café. These services aim to empower and support workers who are facing various challenges in their lives. WE House has already helped many employees achieve their goal. As of 2023, we have expanded the services we offer by providing digital and language training during the week to support employees' professional development. In addition, we have set up a library where employees can improve their Khmer skills to relax while reading and beyond.

How does WE House address the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace, and what counseling services are offered to support women workers facing such challenges?
At WE House, addressing sexual harassment in the workplace is a multi-faceted approach encompassing prevention and support measures. To prevent such incidents, the organization conducts sexual harassment prevention training, empowering Women Union Network members to further extend the training within their federations. Similarly, WE House provides training directly to its workers, enhancing their ability to recognize and report instances of harassment. Ongoing awareness initiatives, including Sunday training sessions and campaigns for Women Rights Day and the 16 Days Campaign, play a crucial role in keeping the issue in focus, fostering a culture of respect, and actively working towards ending violence against women.

In terms of support, WE House is committed to the well-being of its workers facing such challenges. The organization offers psychological counseling services, acknowledging the emotional impact of harassment and providing a supportive environment for individuals to cope with these difficulties. This comprehensive approach reflects WE House's dedication to creating a workplace that prioritizes the safety, well-being, and empowerment of its women workers.

How does WE House measure the success of its programs in terms of enhancing women workers' rights, improving working conditions, and promoting gender equality, and what impact has it observed since its establishment?
We have observed that women workers who come to WE House express an intention to return and access the services again. However, as WE House welcomes workers from all factories in Cambodia, specificly in Phnom Penh.  Conducting a study to measure the success of the program in terms of improving working conditions and promoting gender equality is still a learning process.

Are there any ideas for applying the WE House concept to other countries? What are WE House's next plans?
In 2024, We are planning to extend WE House initiative to another location, making it accessible to workers in a different area. This is a great way to reach a wider audience to provide services to more workers. In addition, we offer services to core group of factory trainers who can then cascade their skills and knowledge to a much larger numbers of workers within their respective factories.