Cambodia organised the National Forum on ‘Women in Leadership and Governance’ acknowledging increasing number of women in key leadership roles in the country.
In her address, National Assembly (NA) Second Vice President and Chairwoman of Women Parliamentarians Caucus H.E. Ms. Khuon Sudary, who presided over the opening of the forum on May 17, highlighted that the number of female members of the Senate and National Assembly has now risen to 18 and 20 percent respectively.
Women represented 41 percent of the total civil servants in Cambodia, and 26 percent of them are serving in decision making roles, while in the public and private sector, about 36 percent of women belong to the management team.
At the sub-national level, she continued, two of Cambodia’s 25 capital and provincial governors are women, and nearly 8 percent of them are commune chiefs.
H.E. Ms. Khuon Sudary spoke highly of the effort of the Royal Government as well as the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in promoting women’s participation, especially in leadership role.
H.E. Ms. Ing Kantha Phavi, Minister of Women Affairs, shared similar insights, noting the government’s commitment to further increase the number of women particularly in the civil service to 50 percent.
She also unveiled the government’s leadership development programme for women at all levels as they are considered to be the backbone of socio-economic development as well as poverty and vulnerability reduction.
The purpose of the national forum is to allow experience and lesson learned sharing among female leaders as well as other key players including the policy makers to further sharpen women’s leadership role, added the minister.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press