Joint Statement_We Need Women Representative for at least 30% for the 5th Mandate

Joint Statement-Phnom Penh, 08 August 2013

We need women representatives for at least 30% for the fifth mandate

We, Women for All group which is composed of 25 groups of students, communities and NGOs, are very frustrated with the decline of number of elected female parliamentarians for the fifth mandate, which undermines Cambodia Millennium Development Goals (CMDGs) target 3.8 of goal 3 which determines to Increase the number of women representative to at least 30% in the parliamentary by 2015 and the public administrative reform statement of the State Secretariat for Civil Service which sets a quota of 20%-50% for women in among civil servants recruited for public agencies as well as the second National Strategic Development Plan (2006-2010), which states that “The Royal Government of Cambodia will continue to promote the roles of women in decision making process and emphasize skill trainings for women at all levels.”

According to the preliminary result of the National Election Committee (NEC) released on July 31, 2013, among the eight competing political parties, only two political parties, Cambodian People Party (CPP) and Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), gain most votes and are rewarded seats in the National Assembly. Unofficial results from COMFREL on July 29, 2013 find that there are only 16 women elected parliamentarians or 13% of the total 123 of elected women and men, of whom 9 from CPP and 7 from CNRP. The figures show that the number of elected women has decreased by 1.63% from 14.63% in the fourth mandate in 2008 (immediately elected) to 13% in the fifth mandate in 2013 and by 8.13% compared with the end of the fourth mandate, when women parliamentarians account for 21.13%.

In order to achieve CMDGs, Women for All would like to propose the following recommendations to the Royal Government of Cambodia and all political parties:

1. The Royal Government and political parties shall make women candidates listed bottom of the list or reserved women candidates as parliamentarians for the fifth mandate when elected men move to take positions in the government or resign from their positions.
2. The Royal Government and political parties shall make women candidates listed bottom of the list or reserved women candidates as parliamentarians for the fifth mandate when elected women move to take positions in the government or resign from their positions.
3. The Royal Government shall increase the number of women holding leadership and decision making positions in each ministry/agency from the level of Under-secretary of State, Secretary of State, Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for at least 30% to address the public administration reform of the State Secretariat for Civil Service and CMDGs.

Future Information, please contact:

-Ms. Sonket Sereyleak, Education and Gender Program Coordinator, COMFREL, Mobile: (855)-17 494 004, Email:sereyleak@comfrel.org      

-Ms. Arun Reaksmey, Executive Director of Srey Khmer Organization, Mobile: (855)-12 236 653, Email: strey_khmer@yahoo.com

-Ms. Men Vannavy, Program Coordinator of Committee to Promote Women in Politics, Mobile: (855)-16 949 997, Email:pc@cpwp.net

Please find the English and Khmer version of this joint statement attached in PDF.