“My name is Bailou. And it’s my turn”

When PEPY was approached by Her Turn to take part in their advocacy video campaign, we jumped at the chance.
We were told the aim of the video campaign was to capture some of the highs and lows of being a girl in different countries around the world. The video will be used to advocate for more girl centered programs across the world. What a great opportunity for Cambodian girls!
 
Girl Power
Girl centered programs, especially with regards to equitable education, are emerging all the time, and this is a really positive movement. Her Turn is a new way to approaching women’s issues, discrimination, inequality, and security. Her Turn is about Girls, and takes an interactive and girl centered approach to development. It’s about creating strong, healthy and safe girls before they become women at risk.
Females in Education
In Cambodia, we also see evidence of the gender gap in education. Around 29% of females are illiterate (UNESCO, 2011) and only 11% of girls remain enrolled in school come upper high school level (Asia Foundation).
At PEPY, we’re delighted that many of our programs actually see the opposite of these national figures and attendance from girls is high – if not sometimes, higher than boys!
On a bright sunny morning in August, when we told five young ladies from Koktrom and Tramkang villages, that they were going to have their story told around the globe – their faces lit up and a chorus of excited giggles erupted! We loved hearing the girls’ opinions on the best and worst things about being a female. Here are some quotes:

“The best thing about being a girl is… I have confidence and am strong; I can do everything myself”
“The most difficult and the worst thing of being a girl is boys look down saying that girls cannot do heavy jobs”
“When I grow up I want to become a very good teacher”

It is with great pleasure to share with you the Her Turn video, including PEPY participants representing Cambodia. Enjoy!