17-May-2016
Publication : Press Release
On the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) 2016,we, the undersigned civil society organizations (CSOs) and businesses, join together with othersaround the world to take part in Pride 2016, which celebrates the lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender (LGBT) members of our societies. In Cambodia, civil society and the government havemade great strides toward the advancement of LGBT rights and inclusion in recent times. However,there are still significant steps that need to be taken to ensure equality for all. The theme of thisyear’s IDAHOT is ‘mental health and wellbeing’, drawing attention to the harmful effects thatdiscrimination and stigma have on LGBT people.A recent research report entitled Opinions, Attitudes and Behavior Toward the LGBT Population inCambodia, published by Rainbow Community Kampuchea (RoCK) and TNS Cambodia, showed aperception among both straight and LGBT people (86% and 82% of respondents, respectively) that the biggest problem LGBT people face in Cambodia is discrimination based on their sexuality. One third of LGBT people surveyed reported suffering from a lack of concentration, sleeping disorders and feeling hopeless or helpless. These feelings are both caused and made worse by widespread discrimination in society, creating a dangerous negative spiral that too many fall into.
Information Source : On the occasion of IDAHOT 2016, civil society and businesses call for full equality for Cambodia’s vibrant LGBT population