Regional meeting seeks to strengthen women's rights

Women from Asean member countries and Timor Leste met in Vientiane yesterday to discuss how best to report on activities undertaken to comply with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

The two-day meeting, titled ‘The First Asean High-Level Meeting on Good Practices in CEDAW Reporting and Follow-Up' was attended by the Standing Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Lao National Commission for the Advancement of Women, Mr Somsavat Lengsavad.

Also attending were the President of the Lao Women's Union, Ms Sisay Leudedmounsone, the Regional Programme Director of the UNIFEM East and Southeast Asia Regional Office, Dr Jean D'Cunha, the Deputy Secretary-General of Asean, Dr Soeung Rathchavy, representatives from NGOs, embassies to Laos and women member representatives from Asean countries.

Mr Somsavat said during his opening remarks that the meeting was taking place at a time when the global political and economic environment is undergoing rapid and complex changes, creating both opportunities and challenges.

He said that the situation of pandemic diseases, poverty, global warming, energy, sustainable development and other issues required a greater role by women in addressing this common cause.

He also said the Lao government was gratified to note that since the international community adopted the convention in 1976, the role and contribution of women in society as well as in the maintenance of peace, stability and cooperation had continuously increased.

The United Nations and regional and national organisations have all attached importance to this undertaking and worked actively according to their respective mandates.

Mr Somsavat pointed out that they also outlined policies, legislation and measures to ensure the implementation of relevant conventions, treaties and important documents such as the Beijing declaration and its platform for action in 1995, the UN millennium summit in 2000, and the Millennium Development Goals.

“ Laos has always attached a great deal of importance and consideration to the policy on gender equality and elimination of discrimination against women as one of its national priorities,” he said.

He explained that past experience had shown that implementation of the policy on women had gained gradual and satisfactory results. One example of this was the increase in the number of women members of the National Assembly, and in public administrative institutions and the business sector.

Mr Somsavat requested participants to share their views and adopt necessary and appropriate solutions according to the prevailing reality.

He said the meeting was important, not only as a platform for consultancy and the sharing of views on best practices in CEDAW reporting and follow-up, but also enabled participants to exchange views on Asean community building from now until 2015.

Ms Sisay pointed out that the number of women in decision-making capacities had increased, and Laos now had five women ministers and equivalent ministers, and nine vice ministers and equivalent ministers.

The literacy rate for women had risen from 48 percent in 1995 to 63 percent in 2005 for women above 15 years of age, and primary school enrolment rates for girls had also increased from 68 percent in 1995 to 81 percent in 2006.

Dr Jean D'Cunha pointed out that it was important for Asean countries to have a national action plan relevant to the regional situation and its relation to the convention.

She said that those involved in promoting CEDAW should not work in isolation, but should cooperate with all levels of government bodies to enhance the roles of women in society.

 

By Soulivan Vongmany
(Latest Update January 15 , 2008)