Women lawmakers on June 30 organized a campaign called “Girl2Leader” in Kampong Chhnang province to encourage girls to think about taking on leadership roles in the future and to encourage greater participation by women in politics by educating them about it while they are young.
“This campaign has been organised to share with girls the experiences of women who are lawmakers and to show them that politics is work that women can and should do. It is also to push girls to consider becoming leaders in the future,” said a post on the National Assembly’s Facebook page on June 30.
The NA said the campaign intends to encourage girls by building up their self-esteem, teaching them to believe in themselves and to dream big by following in the footsteps of role models such as women politicians, in order to help achieve gender equality in Cambodia.
The event was attended by Kampong Chhnang NA Members Ke Chanmony and Kop Mariyas along with Senator Khuon Khundy. Also present were officials from the Kampong Chhnang provincial administration, NA secretariat, the working group from the Parliamentary Centre of Asia (PCAsia) and local women activists promoting gender equality in addition to 220 students and teachers.
The NA said that speakers at the event shared experiences about their paths to becoming members of parliament as well as what it’s like to be decision makers in their respective institutions. They also spread the word on taking care of the environment and reducing the use of plastic.
“This campaign clearly reflects the importance of women leaders in politics at all levels of state institutions and the private sector. Women play an important role in policy making as stated in the rectangular strategy of the government, which says it regards women as the backbone of the national economy,” the NA post said.
