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(KPL) President of the Lao Women's Union, Dr Inlavanh Keobounphan, has urged the Party, authorities at all levels, and organizations as well as the public to pay more attention to the promotion of gender equality.
(KPL) President of the Lao Women's Union, Dr Inlavanh Keobounphan, has urged the Party, authorities at all levels, and organizations as well as the public to pay more attention to the promotion of gender equality.
Mrs Inlavanh Keobounphan made the statement at a meeting on Monday to mark the 106th anniversary of International Women’s Day under the theme “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”.
Mrs Keosaychai Sayasone, spouse of President Choummaly Sayasone, wives of ASEAN Ambassadors to Laos, and high ranking officials attended the event.
Mrs Inlavanh recalled the historical change in international importance recorded on March 8, 1857 when garment workers in New York City marched and picketed, demanding improved working conditions, a ten hour work day, and equal rights for women. Their ranks were broken up by the police. Fifty-one years later on March 8, 1908, their sisters in the needle trades in New York marched again, honoring the 1857 march, demanding a right to vote, and an end to sweatshops and child labor. The police were present on this occasion as well.
On 18 December 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It went into force as an international treaty on 3 September 1981 after the twentieth country had ratified it. By the tenth anniversary of the Convention in 1989, almost one hundred nations had agreed to be bound by its provisions.
“The number of women elected as National Assembly members increased annually. They make up 16.5% of lawmakers in 193 countries around the world with Africa claiming 63 per cent of lawmakers being female,” said Dr Inlavanh.
“Currently, twenty-five per cent of the members of the Lao National Assembly are women,” said she added.
The Fourth World Conference on Women has adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action including Women and Poverty, Education and Training of Women, Women and Health, Violence against Women, Women and Armed Conflict, Women and the Economy, Women in Power and Decision-making, Institutional Mechanism for the Advancement of Women, Human Rights of Women, Women and the Media, Women and the Environment and The Girl-child.
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