Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar: Civil Society Organization and Community Scoping Study

Drawing on scoping studies conducted in 2024, the Amplify country briefs provide an overview of current peace and security challenges women experience at all levels of society in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar. Using a human security lens, the briefs also highlight how The Asia Foundation, through its AMPLIFY regional initiative, with support from New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is working to address these issues in alignment with and in support of ASEAN’s Women, Peace and Security agenda.  
In Cambodia and Lao PDR, the studies combined community surveys, key informant interviews, and civil society organization needs assessments. In Myanmar, interviews explored the challenges faced by the women’s rights organizations, women human rights defenders, and activists along the Thailand-Myanmar border. The findings are further enhanced by informal stakeholder consultations and by a Political Economy Analysis, Securing Women’s Peace: A Political Economy Analysis of Women, Peace and Security in ASEAN, Cambodia, Lao PDR and the Philippines, conducted in early 2025. 
The briefs are intended as a resource for civil society organizations, policymakers, and donors, forming part of AMPLIFY’s ongoing commitment to build and share knowledge on WPS in Southeast Asia.