Vandy Rattana; Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua gives a speech at a rally after the July 27 election. The Phnom Penh Post
Written by Sebastian Strangio and Vong Sokheng
Thursday, 18 September 2008
As decentralisation reforms move ahead, women's groups are seizing the chance to press for greater representation
A COALITION of women's rights groups has requested that the government introduce gender quotas as a means of increasing women's participation in politics, according to a statement released Monday by Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC).
The statement calls for the creation of gender-based clauses in the Organic Law, passed April 1, which guides the Kingdom's devolution of decision-making power to the local level.
"Women's organisations and NGOs are concerned that the Organic Law does not make any provision that guarantees women's representation in decision-making positions," it said.
Thida Kus, executive director of local NGO Silaka, is quoted as saying that "all articles of the Organic Law ... should clearly require political parties to place women candidates on the top of candidate lists", which she described as "an effective strategy to bring more women into decision-making positions".
Among its recommendations, the statement says one woman should be appointed for every two men on local councils, and that if a man is the head of an office, a woman should be appointed as his deputy.
GADC Executive Director Ros Sopheap said the Organic Law had been targeted because of its emphasis on decentralisation. "When we talk about decentralisation, we need to talk about power relations and decision-making," she said. "We are giving more power to communities ... and if [we] don't highlight women's needs, [the law] will not provide for women."
Cambodian People's Party lawmaker Pov Savoeun said that all political parties supported the involvement of women in politics. "No party opposes giving women access to government positions," she said. "The CPP now has women holding power from the local level to the top, including a deputy prime minister."
Written by Sebastian Strangio and Vong Sokheng
Thursday, 18 September 2008
As decentralisation reforms move ahead, women's groups are seizing the chance to press for greater representation
A COALITION of women's rights groups has requested that the government introduce gender quotas as a means of increasing women's participation in politics, according to a statement released Monday by Gender and Development for Cambodia (GADC).
The statement calls for the creation of gender-based clauses in the Organic Law, passed April 1, which guides the Kingdom's devolution of decision-making power to the local level.
"Women's organisations and NGOs are concerned that the Organic Law does not make any provision that guarantees women's representation in decision-making positions," it said.
Thida Kus, executive director of local NGO Silaka, is quoted as saying that "all articles of the Organic Law ... should clearly require political parties to place women candidates on the top of candidate lists", which she described as "an effective strategy to bring more women into decision-making positions".
Among its recommendations, the statement says one woman should be appointed for every two men on local councils, and that if a man is the head of an office, a woman should be appointed as his deputy.
GADC Executive Director Ros Sopheap said the Organic Law had been targeted because of its emphasis on decentralisation. "When we talk about decentralisation, we need to talk about power relations and decision-making," she said. "We are giving more power to communities ... and if [we] don't highlight women's needs, [the law] will not provide for women."
Cambodian People's Party lawmaker Pov Savoeun said that all political parties supported the involvement of women in politics. "No party opposes giving women access to government positions," she said. "The CPP now has women holding power from the local level to the top, including a deputy prime minister."
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