Cambodia Launches Gender Policy for Agriculture Sector
- From: "Chim" <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 29 Mar 2006 22:07:54 -0800
Cambodia Launches Gender Policy for Agriculture Sector
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 07:48 PM
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Cambodia Launches Gender Policy for Agriculture Sector
Press Release - Asian Development Bank
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - The Cambodian Government today launched a Khmer
version of its policy to mainstream gender in the agriculture sector, a
move that is being hailed a significant step forward in enhancing
equality in the country.
Launching the policy was Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries, Chan Sarun at the Annual Conference on Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries, chaired by Prime Minister Hun Sen. An English version of
the policy is due for release soon.
Around 600 participants gathered for the three-day conference,
including governors of all 24 provinces and municipalities, senior
officials of ministry and provincial agriculture departments, and
representatives from embassies, donors, and international and national
organizations.
The policy, supported by an ADB technical assistance grant and related
to a loan for the Agriculture Sector Development Program, is the first
of its kind in Cambodia.
"It was formulated by a Gender Working Group using a bottom-up
process," says Yuriko Uehara, an ADB Senior Social Development
Specialist. "It is a pioneering achievement that maps out an
unambiguous plan of action to ensure that gender is mainstreamed in the
sector."
Some 85% of Cambodia's population lives in rural communities and more
than 60% depends on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Women make a
significant contribution in this sector, accounting for more than half
of the primary workforce in subsistence agriculture as well as in
marketed-oriented agriculture.
Most of these women are unpaid family workers who face multiple
constraints that limit their inherent potential to fully contribute and
benefit from agricultural development.
The policy was developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Women's Affairs
and after extensive consultations with stakeholders at national and
provincial levels.
It provides principles and goals to guide how gender mainstreaming will
take place in the sector. Indicators to monitor progress are clearly
set out.
In the Ministry, untapped human resources, both among women and male
staff, will be encouraged to champion gender equality.
"More effort will be required to provide the kind of environment where
women staff can show their worth and be valued as equal partners with
their male colleagues," Ms. Uehara adds. "The policy is a first step in
this direction not only for women but also men to join forces toward
achieving the Millennium Development Goals in general and the
agriculture targets in particular."
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