Page 490 - El État de los derechos humanos en el desarrollo sostenible

EL ETAT DE LOS DERECHOS HUMANOS EN EL DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE

“Women are white cloth, men are gold”

This traditional Khmer saying implies that women are vulnerable, If gold becomes dirty, it is

easily washed off; but if a white cloth becomes dirty, it will never be the same again. A girl

cannot integrate back into society if she has become “tarnished,” while a man can. It is very
true to societal attitudes about girls.[2]

Arranged Marriage
Arranged marriage has been the tradition in Cambodia for centuries and remains the norm

practiced for Cambodians. Many families arranged marriages while they were still very young.

Traditional Cambodian culture also pressures parents to choose and arrange marriages for

the child. A girl is expected to obey her parents and elders.
The families of the bride and groom employ representatives to check out the background of a

potential spouse and his and her family. If this goes well and the permission is granted to

marry, the families exchange presents, make plans and consult a fortuneteller about an
auspicious day to get married. There are no rules about marrying within or without a

community. Marriages between cousins are generally okay. There are also no rules about

where newlyweds live after the get married although many have traditionally moved in with
the wife’s family.[3]

The Angkor period 9th - 14th century
Throughout Cambodia's long history, religion has been a major source of cultural

inspiration. The choice of a spouse is a complex. A man usually marries between the ages of

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