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The Royal Government of Cambodia is preparing its 4th and 5th periodic report to the CEDAW Committee at the end of 2009. In an effort to increase capacity within government and to improve implementation of CEDAW Committee recommendations from 2006, the Ministry of Justice recently held a series of UNIFEM supported workshops to assess Cambodia’s National Law Compliance with CEDAW.
The workshops provided delegates with a theoretical framework for drafting and analyzing national laws in terms of the scope, substantive content and effective monitoring and implementation mechanisms as prescribed by the Convention. Participants developed fundamental skills to establish a benchmarking process for monitoring Cambodia’s level of compliance and facilitating reform where necessary. These workshops are a pioneering example amongst ASEAN countries of good practice in CEDAW implementation.
Both workshops were presided over by His Excellency Ang Vong Vathana, Minister for Justice, who emphasised the importance of systematic legal review in a robust democracy to ensure legislation is relevant and meaningful for all citizens. He also noted that countries are bound to comply with the spirit of CEDAW and viewed the process as a necessary means for enforcing the Convention and securing the rights and freedoms of women in all segments of society.
The preparatory workshop, in September 2008, introduced CEDAW concepts and gender indicators to the 33 participants from various Ministries, the Cambodian National Council for Women and non-government organizations. A set of draft indicators were established for assessing four national laws: the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Protection of Victims, Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, Marriage and Family Law, and Labor Law.
Following the preparatory stage, the Gender Mainstreaming Action Group (GMAG) within the Ministry of Justice undertook further research into assessing the four specific laws and the formulation of relevant and timely indicators in consultation with Ms. Rea Abada Johnson, the International CEDAW consultant leading the workshops.
Findings of the research were launched in a validation workshop in February 2009. Her Excellency Chan Sotheavy, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, led discussions on the findings and specific indicators developed by the Gender Mainstreaming Action Group for the four relevant laws. She emphasised the importance of women in the development of Cambodia and highlighted the need for the Royal Government of Cambodia to support women’s participation in building the country.
Participants agreed on the specific indicators that will be adopted for the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Protection of Victims and will continue to validate the indicators of the three remaining laws in a third workshop scheduled for March 2009.
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Royal Government of Cambodia takes important