Gender and Development Network (GADNet), made up of 62 civil society groups, is extremely concerned about the shooting of three female factory workers, resulting in serious injuries, during a protest on February 20that the Kaoway Sports Factory, the factory produces for the Germany’s Puma brand,in Svay Rieng Province.

The legitimate protest was to request just ten dollars for transportation per month and two thousand riels for lunch per day to help them cope with the rising inflation. This is a reasonable request and the violent act of shooting the three female protesters is appalling. The government must respond immediately.

GADNet calls on the Royal Government of Cambodia and relevant institutions to take immediate investigative actions into the shooting to identify and sentence the shooters as well as delivering justice to the parties involved by providing the comprehensive medical/financial support to the three victims.

The Royal Government of Cambodia has the rules of law and clear policies to promote gender equality. A failure to take immediate and appropriate actions on the mishap will undermine the policies and mar the valuable progress of gender equality in Cambodia. Women must have the rights to raise their voice to protest against injustice without being shot.

We hope the Royal Government of Cambodia will take swift actions to serve justice for the victims and set a strong precedent that violence against women in Cambodia is unacceptable and thereby will be punished.