“Following the peace agreements in 1998, I decided to move forward on my own terms. I made a commitment to myself,” she says. But the path wasn’t easy. “At night, at 6 pm, when I finished work, I took a car to go study in Phnom Penh. I kept going until I finished my Master’s.”
That determination helped shape her path into leadership. Over time, Sokha rose through the ranks and became Director of the Provincial Department of Women’s Affairs in Stung Treng. Today, she works to create more opportunities for women and girls in one of Cambodia’s more remote provinces, while addressing the barriers that still prevent many from moving forward.
“Our women are few in number,” she says, referring to women in leadership and decision-making roles. For Sokha, women’s representation in public office remains a central priority. “We consistently emphasize increasing the number of women in leadership positions and appointing female civil servants as Office Chiefs.”
But she also knows that women’s leadership is shaped long before they enter government. One of the biggest barriers for girls in Stung Treng is education. Distance, limited services and social attitudes all affect whether girls are able to continue studying.
“They often do not complete their studies,” Sokha explains, adding that many families hesitate to let daughters travel far from home for school, especially where accommodation is limited and concerns about safety or reputation remain strong.
That is why Sokha has supported youth forums and other spaces where girls can reflect on their future, build confidence and imagine different possibilities for themselves.
“For girls, as well as students in schools, we always work with them on their dreams,” she says. “When they finish studying, what ideas will they have? What career do they want to pursue?”
She has seen how powerful that can be.
“Before, they didn’t even dare to speak. But now, it’s different,” says Sokha, who has watched girls stand in front of large crowds and speak publicly with courage. “They will become leaders and dare to speak in public… In front of thousands of people, they showed bravery.”
For Sokha, this is how change begins, not only through policy or appointments, but by helping girls build voice, confidence and ambition. Her own life stands as proof of what persistence can make possible. From a childhood marked by hardship, she has become a leader working to ensure other women and girls have more choices than she did.
“My final hope is that girls today, will become tomorrow’s leaders,” she says.
