Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women considers report of Cambodia -- DisplayNews

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8 October 2013

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today considered the combined fourth and fifth periodic report of Cambodia on its implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Presenting the report Ing Kantha Phavi, Minister of Women’s Affairs of Cambodia, updated the Committee on new legislation relating to the prevention of discrimination against women. Remarkable achievements had been made in sexual and reproductive health, with a 60 per cent decrease in the maternal mortality rate, a world-leading response to the HIV AIDS epidemic, and great advancement in healthcare. Levels of violence against women had decreased, there was now almost gender equity in literary rates and gender parity had been achieved in primary and lower secondary education. Cambodia was committed to achieving full equality, especially in the most critical areas: access for women to upper-secondary and tertiary education, representation in politics, and participation in the formal economy.

Committee Members commended the delegation for its advances in several areas, including education, sexual and reproductive healthcare and legislation. They raised concerns about prostitution and migrant workers, particularly domestic workers. Rural women’s access to jobs and education was addressed, as was marital law, land-mine victims and women working in the garment industry. Gender-based crimes under the Khmer Rouge regime, and the prosecution of perpetrators by the Khmer Rouge Tribunal were also discussed.

The delegation of Cambodia included representatives of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the National Council for Women, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, the National AIDS Authority, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Health, and the Permanent Mission of Cambodia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

In concluding remarks, Ms. Phavi said Cambodia was committed to the implementation of the Convention and hoped that the Committee appreciated the progress it had made since its last report in 2006. The Government took into account the Committee’s last concluding remarks and addressed the challenges highlighted, and would again convey the recommendations to the highest levels.