ISO: KHM *************************************************************************** The electronic version of this document has been prepared at the Fourth World Conference on Women by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women Secretariat. *************************************************************************** AS WRITTEN KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA SPEECH OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS NORODOM MARIE RANARIDDH, HEAD OF THE CAMBODIAN DELEGATION AT THE FOURTH WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN, BEIJING, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA,SEPTEMBER, 1995 Madam Chairperson; Distinguished Delegates; Excellencies; Ladies and Gentlemen. On behalf of the delegates from the Kingdom of Cambodia, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Government and people of China for their warm and generous hospitality. We also would like to compliment the Secretariat of the Fourth World Conference on Women for the excellent organisation of this very important Conference, and for having given us the opportunity to share our problems and proposals with sisters from all over the world. The last three World Conferences on Women took place at a time when Cambodia was in the midst of a protracted civil war and social dislocation. We are here today, representing one nation which is steadily gaining peace and prosperity, and now ready to join hands with the international community. We are here to learn from our sisters from world over of their own experiences. In our deliberations at home and coming together as participants to this Conference, we realise the importance of gaining ground among grassroots women, building women's strength, protecting our gains and advancing the struggles for the emancipation of women that is vital to the socio-economic progress of our nation. We have come together in solidarity amidst our diversities to weave into one, our common experiences, struggles and aspirations for building a nation where our individual sovereignty is recognised, the rights of women are guaranteed and lasting peace and prosperity obtain for all human beings. Madam Chair and distinguished friends, Two decades of tragic events have deeply affected Cambodian women, who represent nearly two-thirds of the population, left them with enormous responsibilities in the socio-economic and political lifei.e., to consolidate the peace efforts, take part in the national reconciliation and reconstruction, and establish the country on a path of sustainable development. For example, families and social networks have been fragmented and weakened by death and separation. Communities or villages, once composed of extended family networks established for generations, have been shattered and reformed by forced population movements, displacement and repatriation. Progress of rural areas, where majority of women live, is affected by large numbers of undetected land mines and lack of adequate agricultural extension services. These have further burdened women. Madam Chair and distinguished friends For Cambodian women, the political changes since 1992 have ushered in a new era of opportunities and challenges. At the 1993 national elections, women formed 55 per cent of the total electorate; by participating in the election in large numbers, women were instrumental in bringing back peace process to the war-torn nation. The Constitution adopted by the National Assembly in 1993 states that women are a major resource in the development of the nation, encourages women to be actively involved in all areas of life on an equal footing with men. After two years of facilitation of a series of stimulating dialogue and activity, working at the micro and macro levels, developing materials and promoting social policies, we are here today to share our experiences with sisters from all over the world. We can proudly inform you that our persistent efforts have recently resulted in the upgrading of the “State Secretariat for Women's Affairs” into “Ministry of Women Affairs” by the Royal Government of Cambodia; and soon a “Comprehensive Women's Code” is expected to be introduced reflecting our Government's commitment as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women[CEDAW] and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Now, the Government has also approved a legislation to deal with the crime of trafficking and exploitation of women and children. Madam Chair and distinguished friends This Conference has aptly placed women at the centre-stage of social and economic policy-making and development. Now the challenge is: how to ensure not only that their rights are not eroded, but that women develop the capacity to generate sustainable alternatives to the damaging legacy that we have inherited. In such a context, today is a very special day for Cambodian Women We, Cambodian women, started reconstruction our war-torn nation with foresight and dreams to give visibility and credibility to the compelling activities of community workers, educators, human rights' advocates, and hundreds of people's organisations working at the grassroots, weaving the fabric of awareness about women's right as a way of life. The dream is now growing into an exciting reality. We have come together to define our aim to free Cambodian women from all types of oppression and exploitation, and express solidarity with women from all other nations. We consider that national and cultural traditions be respected and maintained to create a genuine sense of nationhood. To be responsive to national needs and open to solidarity, we, women from Cambodia have decided to defend our right to speak from a women's perspective and to express this in writings and through positive action. All our efforts attempt to develop women as a primary national human resource and key to promote sustainable development To enable Cambodian women effectively contribute towards sustainable development, our critical areas of concern are: - to enable women to break and overcome the vicious circle of poverty - remove gender disparities in national education programmes and provide equal opportunities for girls and boys, and women as well as men; - adopt a comprehensive, integrated and adequately funded health care service for women that emphasises health promotion and disease prevention; - lobby for gender parity in peace negotiations and conflict resolution seeking an equal number of women and men in peace negotiations and in all efforts to bring about an end to political conflicts; - eliminate all laws and regulations that discriminate against women in economic activities put in place employment programmes that target women, guarantee loans for women entrepreneurs, and provide training in non-traditional areas; - support inclusion of all human rights treaty bodies to consider the status of women and the human rights of women in their deliberations and make use of gender-specific data; and - increase the proportion of women in programmes for sustainable development that involve decision-making, planning and technical management, and control of environmental degradation. Madam Chair and distinguished friends, Overall, our key area of planning and positive action will be: education of women land girl children and economic empowerment of women. Our Government has proposed detailed plans to achieve this through support of self-employment and women's control overproduction by providing access to appropriate technology, credit and marketing and enacting legislation that recognises and supports alternative credit systems already developed at the local level; enforcing minimum wage and occupational safety measures, enact laws prohibiting sexual harassment and adopt and enforce ILO conventions emphasising women's labour rights and standards, guarantee legal entitlement to women's informal collectives and groups. Finally, we wish our sisters to know that we consider it our honour and duty to be able to work for the empowerment of women in Cambodia. This, we believe, would be our contribution to the global struggle against patriarchy and subordination, as well as against global racism, sexism and oppression. Thank you.