Today is International Women's Day, another excuse for a day off in the government sector but not, unfortunately, for the 3000+ mainly women workers in our factory. I must profess to a general ignorance about IWD, so I read about it on the web and checked out the amnesty international site to find out more about the status of women worldwide. In Cambodia, women are treated better than in many countries we have visited (in fact many of our brightest students are girls) but we still see and hear things that make us wonder. For example, when we visited Hum's farm the other week, both his wife and his brother's wife were washing clothes; they didn't stop when we arrived and no-one attempted to bring them into the group to chat. Their status seemed more akin to maid than family member. And at the wedding we attended in January we asked how long the bride would be off work for the honeymoon; "Oh, she's leaving work." we were told. It seems that her in-laws think it's inappropriate for her to continue working in the office and want her to stay at home, though she may be allowed to have a little stall out on the street somewhere...