Manivone urges everyone to UNITE to End Violence Against Women in Laos.
Manivone Luangsombath is the Director General, for the National Commission for the Advancement of Women and Mother – Child (NCAWMC).
She is passionate about promoting women’s advancement and gender equality and in her job, plays a key role in drafting policies and raising awareness across all sectors of society regarding the status of women in Laos. She is responsible for implementing the national socio-economic development plan related to gender equality, creating strong mechanisms for gender equality and gender mainstreaming, and ensuring that the sector’s work is in line with these goals.
Manivone has recently returned from Australia where she completed the Australia Awards Short Course “Gender Mainstreaming in the Public Sector”, offered by the University of New England. This course has given her new skills and insights to help her with work in Laos.
Why did you apply for the short course in Australia?
I have heard from many people who have had the opportunity to study in Australia that it is a beautiful, peaceful country where everyone respects and honors each other. Most importantly, Australia is a country that prioritises promoting gender equality, allowing men and women to have equal roles. It is a society that everyone admires.
I work in the field of promoting women’s advancement and gender equality. Therefore, I believe that having the opportunity to join a short course to learn best practices from Australia in implementing gender equality would be valuable. Now, I want to apply these lessons to improve the work of my organisation and contribute to my country’s development.
What are some of the key insights that you gained from your time in Australia?
Through my participation in the course, I gained a clear understanding of the Australian Government’s policies on promoting gender equality, including the active participation of all sectors of society in implementing these policies. From what I learned during the course in Australia, I observed that the promotion of gender equality is well-implemented there. For example, women occupy many important government positions.
After returning to Laos, the first thing I did, particularly in my own office, to bring about positive change was to share the lessons I had learned with my staff. I utilized these insights to help create a training manual on building resilience and leadership for women, which serves as a training tool for various departments.
What are some of the positive changes you have seen over time in terms of gender equality in Laos?
In terms of promoting gender equality in the Lao PDR, there has been noticeable progress across various sectors. The number of people in leadership, management, and decision-making positions has increased. Society now has a greater understanding of gender equality. The division of responsibilities within the family between men and women has become more balanced, and mutual respect and acceptance of women by society have improved.
What can the people of Laos do to End gender-based violence and create a more equal future where everyone can be safe and fulfil their potential?
To eliminate violence against women (violence based on gender differences), the first step is to create the right mindset in everyone, ensuring they understand that violence against women is a violation of women’s rights, and an act that is both illegal and punishable. Therefore, raising awareness about the law on gender equality and the law on combating and preventing violence across all of society, especially in remote rural areas is another important step. Changing the attitudes of communities that discriminate against women and encouraging the involvement of men and influential social figures, such as elders and community leaders, in campaigns to speak out against violence and promote prevention, will make the efforts more effective.