Making Waves in Cambodia: YoKi

For International Women’s Day (8 March 2016), YoKi – a writer and director for TV series Love 9 – describes how the women who inspire her work are “everyday superheroes”.

I'm one of a very small number of female TV directors in Cambodia.

My work helps raise awareness of the issues facing women. Until recently, I produced a youth TV series called Love9, consisting of a 30-minute drama and a 15-minute discussion programme featuring sexual health experts. Using drama to tackle sexual health issues is really effective because everyone loves a good love story!

On a personal level I hope I can inspire women to do what they want, even if it's taking a traditionally male career path like directing. Women need to work in the media industry to make sure there's a female voice out there.

In Cambodia, when it comes to sex, there are many customs about what women can and can’t do. Even talking about it on TV was a first. Sometimes people thought we were too bold - featuring taboo topics in our Love9 storylines. But by confronting these taboos, Love9 is also empowering young women with solutions.

For Valentine’s Day, we produced a wonderful video addressing the pressures women face on this day. Young women can often be shy when talking about sexual issues. With the help of well known young Cambodians, the film helped provide a new perspective on the rights and choices people have before consenting to sex.

Each week we receive hundreds of comments on social media from people who are inspired by our female role models. It makes me proud to see the show so positively embraced by society, especially the younger generation – who are my inspiration.

Super women

Stories need heroes, but in Cambodian films or dramas, they are almost exclusively men. I’m thankful that I get to write and direct parts for women – super women – who often face tough choices in their relationships, about contraceptives, their sexual partners and their lives.

One day, I hope our society will be in a place where both men and women work together equally. But for now, what I do makes a difference in encouraging women – all those real super heroes – to be brave talking about sensitive issues in their lives and to make safer choices.

Read more inspiring stories of how women around the world are using media to make waves.

Making Waves in Libya: Libya's story       
Making Waves in Nepal: Bidhya’s story
Making Waves in Tanzania: Meena’s story
Making Waves in Sierra Leone: Bisi’s story
Making Waves in South Sudan: Winnie's story
Making Waves in Kenya: Stellah's story
Making Waves in Somalia: Yasmin's story