Lao National Commission for the Advancement of Women

Gender Mainstreaming
Policiesin Lao PDR
Presented by: Ms. Vatthana INLORKHAM
Department of External Relation Officer’s
Lao NCAW-Secretariat OfficeGeneral Information of Lao PDR
Geographic Information

Lao People Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is a landlocked country. It
has its borders with these following countries: China in the North;
Myanmar in the NorthEast; Thailand in the West, Cambodia in the Southand Vietnam in the East.

Lao People’s Democratic Republic
CHINA

MYANMARLAO PDR

The uniqueness of Lao
PDR is that from North toSouth there has a MekongRiver running through thecountry with 1,900 kmlong.
yArea: 236.800 sq km
and 70% of the Land arePlateauandHighMountains.
yVIETNAM

yTHAILAND

17provinces(16provinces and VientianeCapital); comprises of 141
Districts & 10.522 villages

CAMBODIA(2005).
yPopulation: 5.6
million people; in which
50.2% are women.
yReligion: Buddhism.
yOfficial Language:
Lao Language

Lao Culture

People living in remote area

Job Description:
I worked at the department of external relation and planning, my responsibilities
are coordinating and sharing information with gender focal point of development
partner, international organization and others NGOs, making workplan in eachquarter of LaoNCAW project, assisting manager for collecting data on the status ofwomen in all areas for the preparation and drafting CEDAW Report and Assisting
manager for collecting data collection of participatory evaluation for LaoNCAW
Project.

Major policies on promotionof gender equalities• The Government of Lao PDR has made promotion of gender equality apriority• LaoNCAW has a plan consists of five programmes, as follows :¾Improve women’s participation in implementation of the National Growth andPoverty Eradication Strategy¾

Promote opportunities for women and girls to be equal with men and boys ineducation and other fields¾

Improve health care services for women¾

Increase the number of women in leading positions at all levels¾

Strengthen the capacity of national organizations concerned with protectionof women and promotion of their advancement.

The Major gender problems as follows:•

Lack of knowledge on concept of gender•

Lack of human capacity to effective carry out gender mainstreamingwith in programs and through training exercise•

Lack of budget to support the gender mainstreaming process

Skill and knowledge gainedfrom this seminar
The skill and knowledge that I gained from this seminar also from others
participants are : Identified issue/problems related to how to strengthen
and build capacity for LaoNCAW regards on mainstreaming gender have
improved

Action Plan on Mainstreaming Gender1.

Project Title: Capacity Building Programme on Gender Mainstreaming forManagement Sub-Commission for the Advancement of Women (Sub-CAWs)

2.

Project Objective: Strengthen Capacity of Middle Management level ofSubCAWs to implement gender mainstreaming policies.

3.

Project Site: The Secretariat Office of National Commission for theAdvancement of Women.

Action Plan on Mainstreaming Gender (Con’t)

4. Project Duration:

1 year (March 2010 to February 2011).

5. Implementing body: Lao National Commission for the Advancement ofWomen (LaoNCAW).
6. Target Group: Head of Division for Advancement of Women in 3 Ministries(Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Planning andInvestment), 2 Provinces (Vientiane Province and Xiengkhuang Province)

Action Plan on Mainstreaming Gender (Con’t)
7. Activities:•Setting up office•Conduct workshop on office management, basic Gender Mainstreaming

technique, Gender Responsive Project Cycle Management•

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation project.

Action Plan on Mainstreaming Gender (Con’t)
8. Output•

The head of Divisions for the Advancement of Women inthree ministries and two provinces improve their knowledge ofgender mainstreaming and office management•

Middle level management of Sub-CAWs can effectively

develop action plan linking activities of the National Strategy with
their sector plans.
•Middle level management can effectively monitor and evaluate

sectoral programs

Thank you
DOMO ARIGATO GOZAIMASU