Joint Press Release No: JPR-002/06/EAP-LA Contacts:
In Lao PDR:
Nanda M. Gasparini, mgasparini@worldbank.org
In Washington DC:
Mohamad Al-Arief, malarief@worldbank.org Vientiane, September 12, 2006 – Promoting gender equality is a priority for Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) and one of the Millennium Development Goals, yet women in the country still continue to be disadvantaged in their daily lives, according to a recent report launched at the Women Training Center, Lao Women’s Union (LWU) in Vientiane.
 According to the first “Lao PDR Gender Profile” women’s economic participation is growing as well as their ability to participate in decision-making. The report observes that although significant progress has been made in areas such as education and health, there are still high levels of maternal mortality and low levels of education among some groups of women. Ethnic women living in remote rural areas face particular difficulties.
Developed by the Gender Resource Information and Development Center (GRID) of the Lao Women’s Union with assistance from the World Bank, the report compiled information about the current status of women in order to facilitate the Government’s gender mainstreaming strategy. Addressing gender issues to improve social outcomes is a top Government priority and a key objective of the World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy for Lao PDR. The World Bank is committed to helping governments identify constraints and barriers to gender equality in order to remove them.
“Our support to the Lao Women’s Union in the preparation of this Gender Profile which identifies the constraints, barriers, and specific issues, is a first step in fulfilling this commitment,” said Ian Porter, the World Bank Lao PDR Country Director at the launch. “We congratulate the LWU and GRID for their efforts in preparing this profile and the extensive consultations within the government that have been undertaken.”
 Lao PDR, a mainly rural country endowed with natural resources, is largely dependant on agriculture with women making up more than half that workforce. However the report finds that due to high illiteracy rates, especially among ethnic minorities, women are unable to adequately participate in their village development activities.
During the launch, LWU’s President, Mme. Sisay Leudedmounsone, stressed the importance of gender equality and the value of this study for the country. “This Gender Profile is a significant document which will help policymakers, planners as well as technical experts understand more clearly the gender situation. It is also an important source of information for implementing the Government’s gender mainstreaming strategy into any project, at any level, in Lao PDR.”
The report points to a large gap in the availability of gender information that presented a challenge in compiling a comprehensive gender profile, and recommends engendering future surveys and research. Other recommendations to address the major issues preventing gender equality in the country include: enhancing knowledge of Government officials for gender mainstreaming, targeting socio-economic development for the rural poor, promoting small and medium-sized enterprise, and addressing issues of gender-based violence and trafficking in persons.
“The potential value of this document is immense. It serves as a primary reference for everyone who works for poverty reduction, and an equitable society. The gender profile helps to increase understanding of the concept of gender equality, which is necessary for the effective involvement of women in poverty reduction, sustainable development, good governance and peace,” said Dr. Outhaki Choulamany Khamphoui, gender specialist.
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