Address by the Chairman of the National Assembly of Cambodia Khuon Sudari to the...

27.09.2024 / Video

Address by the Chairman of the National Assembly of Cambodia Khuon Sudari to the participants of the IV Eurasian Women's Forum

Madam Chairperson, distinguished delegates, I welcome you all on behalf of Cambodia. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States for the invitation to participate in the work of the fourth Eurasian Women's Forum.

The theme “Women for Trust and Global Cooperation” is timely and relevant. It is clear that trust and cooperation are the foundation of peace and development. Recognizing the role of women in peace and development, Cambodia has taken important steps to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

A number of policies and programmes have been developed and implemented to increase women’s participation in various sectors, ensure the protection of their rights and dignity, and improve their socio-economic status. Women are encouraged to assume leadership roles at all levels in various sectors.

Moreover, Cambodia actively participates in international cooperation, mechanisms and agreements aimed at promoting gender equality, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Within the National Assembly, a women parliamentarians’ caucus was established in 2015 to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, including the Girl2Leader Cambodia project, which has contributed to raising awareness and empowering some 2,300 young women across the country.

When Cambodia chaired the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPO) in 2022, we proposed two resolutions. The first was on gender equality and women’s empowerment for a sustainable, inclusive and resilient recovery from COVID-19. And the second was on enhancing the role of women parliamentarians in advancing the peace and women’s security agenda.

This clearly demonstrates our commitment to our international obligations.

To further strengthen women’s leadership in building trust and cooperation, I would like to offer three recommendations. First, we must encourage greater participation of women in politics. We must introduce gender quotas for seats in parliament and local councils, provide leadership development programmes designed specifically for women, and create a mentoring network to support aspiring women politicians. Second, we must prioritise women’s inclusion in peace negotiations and conflict resolution processes by offering tailored training programmes on mediation and negotiation, and by empowering women’s peacebuilding initiatives at the community level. Third, we must strengthen inter-parliamentary ties and foster cross-border partnerships among women leaders, facilitating the exchange of best practices, collaboration on joint social initiatives, and the promotion of social innovation in problem-solving and community development projects.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that Cambodia is ready to work with friends and partners from near and far to strengthen mutual trust and practical cooperation. We are committed to building fair and inclusive global governance, promoting effective and open multilateralism, upholding the rules-based international order for peace and common development. And women’s leadership certainly plays a crucial role in these efforts.

Thank you for your attention!