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Mekong Subregion Organises over DinnerOn the eve of the Asia-Pacific Beijing +5 High Level Intergovernmental meeting, the official delegations from Viet Nam, Lao PDR, and Cambodia met over a UNIFEM-hosted dinner to discuss key issues of concern to their subregion. This was the first time that delegations from these countries have come together informally at a regional event to discuss women’s issues and their participation in the larger meeting.
The evening meeting was the inspiration of the UN Volunteer Gender Specialists, Suzette Mitchell based in Hanoi Viet Nam, Jyotsna Roy based in Phnom Penh Cambodia and Titta Maja based in Vientiane Lao PDR. Congratulations to them all on a brilliant idea and a very successful event! The meeting focussed on the national machineries for the advancement of women, Beijing +5 National Reports and their preparation, and gender mainstreaming in national policy. Cambodia noted the important role of Government-NGO collaboration. Mme Mu Sochua, the Head of Delegation and Minister for Women’s and Veteran’s Affairs explained: I believe in pressure, pressure makes you work harder. NGO pressure was instrumental in the Ministry locating and arresting the creator of a pornographic web site. With support from NGOs, the Ministry will propose the adoption of a new law on violence against women early next year. Lao PDR is in the process of developing a national machinery for women. Mme Vadsady Khotgnotha from the Lao Women’s Union explained the importance of this new machinery: The Lao Women's Union has a strong network from the village level to the national level, and the national machinery will work closely with the Lao Women's Union to feed in key issues to government policy from grassroots women.
Mme Ha Thi Khiet, Chair of the Vietnam national machinery, the National Committee for the Advancement of Women and President of the Viet Nam Women’s Union outlined the structure of the national machinery in Viet Nam: The National Plan of Action for the Advancement of Vietnamese Women to the Year 2000 was signed by the Prime Minister in October 1997. Each of the 61 provinces have produced Provincial Plans of Action developed through Provincial Committees for the Advancement of Women. Each Ministry also has a Ministerial Committee for the Advancement of Women with a Ministerial Plan of Action. Many examples of best practice were shared between the delegations. In Viet Nam, more than 17,000 women candidates are being trained for the People's Council elections later this month, while Cambodia has set a 30% quota for women candidates in the forthcoming commune council elections. The Lao Women's Resource Centre disseminates information widely among rural women. Other key issues discussed included prostitution and trafficking, domestic violence, globalisation and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The feedback from those who participated in the dinner was overwhelmingly positive, with plans already on the table for more Mekong subregional meetings. I realise that we should share our experiences with Lao and Cambodia, and that we can probably learn from them as well…..this was a very good initiative, said Madame Ha Thi Khiet. Lorraine Corner, UNIFEM Regional Programme Adviser, concluded the dinner by noting that delegates should also take advantage of the opportunity to share and learn with some of the 50 other countries attending the High Level Meeting. Dated: 14Dec1999
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