More women benefit from training, access to  jobs

More than 20,000 women took training courses or entered the job market in the agriculture and forestry, industrial andservice industry sectors during 2018.
This was the key message delivered at a plenary meeting of the National Commission for the Advancement of Women and Mother-Child (NCAWMC).
The meeting was held last week to review key achievements in 2018 and discuss further plans for the advancement of women.
The meeting heard that out of the 53,822 people who started jobs last year, 28,344 were women. 

This is more than half of the total jobs found and includes people who found employment in other countries. Of the 53,678 peoplewho took vocational training courses in 2018, 22,465 were female.
The service sector continues to be the largest employer of women. Of the 34,328 people employed in the service sector, 20,645 were female. Some 3,626 women out of a total 8,686 took up jobs in the agriculture and forestry sector, while out of 10,808 people finding work in the industrial sector, 3,191 were women.
Last week’s meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and President of the NCAWMC, Dr Sonexay Siphandone.
President of the Lao Women’s Union and the Commission’s Vice President, Dr Inlavan Keobounphanh, reviewed the key achievements of 2018 advancing efforts to promote and achieve gender equality in employment and also in education and health outcomes. 
She said a particular focus was being placed in rural areas of the country.
Over past years, the Commission has partnered with both government and private organisations in programmes to assist the advancement of women.
It is also working on a national policy and legislative framework for the protection and eradication of violence against women, detailing women’s rights.
The NCAWMC has been supported and worked well with all levels of government and the private sector in promoting gender equality, the meeting heard.
Participants also discussed the goals for 2019 and what will be required to translate the Vision 2030 statement into reality.
The national strategies on gender equity and mother and child affairs for 2016-2025, the 8th five-year national action plan on gender equity, and the action plan on the prevention and eradication of violence against women and children for 2014-2020 were also referred to.

By Keoviengkhone Bounviseth
(Latest Update January 21, 2019)