The Lao National Commission for the Advancement of Women (LaoNCAW) with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women, held a workshop on Friday 12 August to discuss and identify a way forward on the implementation of the National Strategy for the Advancement of Women (NSAW) 2011-2015.

The aim of the workshop was to stimulate discussion about the progress of toward achieving gender equality in Lao PDR, develop practical tools on how to work towards gender equality in the different sectors and how to measure progress and to provide practical advice on how to implement the new NSAW (2011-2015) and hence the requirements from the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

The workshop brought together a number of the Government sectors, CSOs and international organization including, the Lao Women's Union, the Lao Women Parliamentarians Caucus, the selected Sector Working Groups including Education (Ministry of Education, AusAID, UNICEF); Health (Ministry of Health, WHO, JICA); Governance (Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Civil Service Authority, UNDP) and Agriculture, Rural Development and Natural Resources (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, AFD France) as well as the Ministry of Planning and Investment and its Department of International Cooperation, the Ministries of Justice; Communication, Transport, Post and Construction and Labour and Social Welfare, the Gender Development Group, UN agencies and other Development Partners.

The NSAW is the overall strategy to advance women over the next 5 years to 2015, and was prepared by the LaoNCAW Secretariat in consultation with its SubCAW network, the wider community and development partners by integrating the past achievement and lessons learned from the implementation of the previous NSAW (2006-2010) and the recommendations of CEDAW. It aims to increase equality between men and women, balance power relationships, increase the number of women in decision-making positions and improve women and girls access to many services and income-earning opportunities. NSAW also plays a significant role in contributing to the achieving of the goals of the 7th National Socio-Economic Development Plan and MDGs.

For Further information, please contact:
Mr. Diego De La Rosa
Advocacy and Communication Officer
United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA
Tel: (+856 21) 315547
Mobile: (+856) 020 59936509
E-mail : drosa@unfpa.org