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| Women play an important role in land protest in Boeung Kak Lake (Photo: Reuters) |
Washington, DC Friday, 11 March 2011
“We do not want women to take over the roles of men, but to be equal or very much the same.”
Women face few prospects in the economy or politics, highlighting a need for better education and opportunities, a leading rights advocate said Thursday.
Pung Chhiv Kek, founder of the rights group Licadho, told “Hello VOA” that women here are limited in what they can do, with many finding their way to labor in the garment sector.
“We do not want women to just be garment factory workers,” she said. “If women have work to do, it’s better than nothing. But we want to see women becoming the presidents of companies, leaders of large or medium-sized companies. We want women to obtain very high levels of education in order for women to be incorporated in all sectors of societal leadership.”
“We do not want women to take over the roles of men, but to be equal or very much the same,” she said.
She noted that Tuesday marked the centennial of International Women’s Day, which began 100 years ago when women worldwide began standing up for their rights.
Cambodian women face a wide range of obstacles in their educational development. Most drop out before university, and only one about 1 percent of key leadership roles in the government are held by women, Pung Chhiv Kek said.
That includes 27 parliamentarians, one deputy prime minister, two ministers, 19 secretaries of state and 28 undersecretaries of state.
Government spokesman Phay Siphan acknowledged the shortage, saying women face an educational problem and poverty in post-conflict Cambodia.
“That does not mean the men of Cambodia, or the government, do not value women,” he said. Within the Cambodian People’s Party there are many women, he said.
The government has in its five-year development plan goals to develop women through better training and education, but despite such plans, women face an uphill struggle.
Pung Chhiv Kek said she has watched the government’s agenda for women since 1993, from the first election, and noticed more women in government positions. But she also noted that women face domestic violence, rape, trafficking, poverty, poor education and a culture of impunity that does little to bring justice for violence acted against them.
A country with greater development priorities for women will remain more stable, she said.
4 comments:
To all Khmer people
Khmer every where need to stand up at the same time and kick Hun Sen regime on March 18 for the sake of our country, liberate our people from tyrant. We must take part together on that date, March 18, to struggle for a change in Cambodia, we must joint hands and hands, shoulders and shoulders including monks, people and the people from all walk of life. Now we set the date March 18 to topple Hun Sen regime. Please, stand up together in Phnom Penh on that date.
March 18, 10:00 AM
At Soun Pracheathipatey
Stand up with us
Khmer ladies crying meant nothing to you,few million protesters mean a
lot to you;be brave women! Khmer men
are suck and weak.You are the Khmer mother land.
YOU ARE THE QUEEN OF THE DAUGHTER OF
MOON AND THE QUEEN ANG MEI.They both
were KHMER LEADERS.
WAKE UP! STAND UP! RISE UP! AGAINST
AH HUN SEN AND VIETNAMESE IN CAMBODIA
A soldier why need to stand up for serve china company? How much sarlary they paid u? why need to fighting with khmer the same for what? u should be resignd go to homeland make agriculture is better than fight with khmer the same or u dont have any way without soldier, sell ur brain,sell ur body ,sell ur life for them tycoon stealer or robber land from people cambodia,
King sihamoni,
I challenge you to work with Mr Ou Virak to help find solution for the poor people at Boeung Kak lake
and stop being a useless king.
Anet Khmer
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