International Women's Day
I hope you've marked it in your diary: March 8th marks International Women's Day, under the auspices of the United Nations. The theme for 2025 is particularly close to our hearts: " For ALL women and girls: rights, equality and empowerment . "
It's a call to action to promote opportunities and equal rights for all women, everywhere. With special attention to the younger generation, young women and adolescent girls today. By empowering them, we are creating the conditions for a better future for all.
A day for action
UN Women is specifically targeting three priority areas of action:
1. Advance the rights of women and girls: fight tirelessly for fundamental human rights, acting against all forms of violence, discrimination and exploitation.
2. Promoting equality: removing barriers, challenging entrenched inequalities in societies and raising the voices of marginalized women and girls, as well as young people, to ensure their inclusion and empowerment.
3. Promote empowerment: Ensure inclusive access to education, employment, leadership, and decision-making spaces. Prioritize opportunities for young women and girls to lead and innovate.
Want to know more? Visit the UN Women page ( https://www.onufemmes.fr/nos-actualites/journee-internationale-droits-femmes-theme-2025 )
Women's empowerment, our reason for being
If International Women's Day is a special day for us, it is because the Mekong Silks project was born in 2001 from the desire to give Cambodian women financial autonomy through training and employment.
In the rural village of Banteay Chmar in Cambodia, our workshop trains women in silk weaving, according to the country's traditions. Soieries du Mékong then sells the scarves and wraps made by our weavers in Europe. Thanks to this stable employment, the women earn a regular salary and financial independence, can support their families, but also gain self-confidence and assert themselves in society. With the quality of their creations, they develop their skills and express their full potential.
For nearly 25 years, our project has focused on improving women's living conditions. Since its inception, Soieries du Mékong has trained over 100 Cambodian women in the art of traditional weaving. Today, over 70 women, both weavers and employees, work year-round in our workshops or at home, hand-weaving the wonderful silk scarves we offer.
In addition to professional training, we are concerned with improving the living conditions of our weavers by providing:
- social security coverage
- regular medical check-ups
- personal development workshops
Behind each of our scarves and wraps, there is a commitment to women's rights.