Senator Linda Reynolds was voted in as a Senator representing the state of Western Australia in 2014. Linda has spent almost 30 years in the Australian Army and was the first woman in Australia to attain the rank of ‘Brigadier’ in the Army Reserve. As part of her tight schedule during a visit to Cambodia, Senator Linda Reynolds visited one of RHAC’s Clinics in Phnom Penh on the 20th January 2016. 

During the visit, Dr. Var Chivorn, RHAC’s Executive Director, and Dr. Ping Chutema, the Director of Clinic Services, accompanied the Senator and briefed her on the important activities of the clinic, including comprehensive information and services on family planning, pregnancy care, diagnosis and treatment of reproductive tract infections, detection and early treatment of cervical cancer, rape victim supports, etc. RHAC 15 clinics provide services to 400,000 clients a year, and 80% of them are women. All RHAC clinics are not only providing clinical services, but also have incorporated gender aspects in designing and delivering the services; the needs of specific vulnerable groups are taken into consideration, such as factory workers, men have sex with men, transgender, entertainment workers, and youths.  

Dr. Chivorn said “RHAC clinics are not only a place where women have their medical problem solved, but also a place where women and their partners understand and learn about how their rights are respected, a place where rights of individuals are nurtured and uphold.  Response to questions on abortion, Dr. Chutema mentioned “RHAC provides comprehensive abortion care, including comprehensive counseling and places value on informed decision making by individual clients and needs”

At the end of the visit, the senator expressed her enthusiasm and is proud that RHAC has created a space, which female factory workers can trust and get quality services.