Pride and Progress: Cambodia Marches Toward Equality

[geovalin]

© PRIDE Fest Cambodia

 

 

Rain couldn't wash away the colour or conviction from Phnom Penh’s riverside this weekend, as thousands turned out for PRIDE Fest 2025 — Cambodia’s largest-ever celebration of LGBTIQ+ rights.

 

Despite a thunderstorm sweeping across the capital, the mood was defiant and electric. Rainbow flags flew high, music pounded through the downpour, and dancers glittered in defiance of the storm — an apt metaphor for a movement long weathering adversity.

 

“This is no longer hidden behind closed doors,” said Nack Athens, founder of Pride Fest Cambodia. “We’re here, we’re visible, and we’re not going back.”

 

What began as small, private gatherings in the early 2000s has evolved into a vibrant national celebration. PRIDE Fest, supported this year by UN Human Rights and other UN agencies, has become a vital platform for visibility, resilience, and advocacy for Cambodia’s LGBTIQ+ community.

 

Yet the celebrations nearly didn’t happen. In 2024, longstanding sponsors pulled out, and the future of PRIDE was in doubt. Only a last-minute intervention by UN Human Rights saved the event. “Human rights don’t wait,” said Benjamin Moreau, deputy head of the UN office in Cambodia.

 

Athens described the UN’s support as a turning point, saying it offered not just resources but legitimacy — emboldening other institutions to stand behind the cause.

 

The festival’s reach now spans provinces, with inclusive events such as drag contests, fashion shows, and the joyful Pride Walk drawing thousands. But beneath the celebration lies a deeper push for equal rights.

 

Cambodia does not criminalise same-sex relationships, yet legal protections remain thin. Marriage equality remains out of reach, and LGBTIQ+ people often face discrimination, especially online.

 

Still, there is momentum. During Cambodia’s 2024 UN human rights review, the government accepted 12 LGBTIQ+-related recommendations — a sign, advocates say, of real if gradual change.

 

“There’s a long way to go,” said Pisey Ly of Rainbow Community Kampuchea. “But acceptance is growing. We’re being seen — and heard.”

 

From rainbow-draped tuk-tuks to packed public squares, PRIDE Fest 2025 marked more than a party. It was a declaration: Cambodia is on the path, however uneven, towards dignity and equality for all.

 

-2025-07-01