Cambodia Wants More Girls In Schools As Women Dominate Corporate, Economy

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, June 17 (Bernama) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Tuesday said girls' education should take priority as a strategy to develop strong human capital to steer the economy forward.

He said long-held stereotypes portraying Cambodian women as passive participants in social and economic life are increasingly outdated

bootstrap slideshow

Young women are now emerging as entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, innovators, policymakers, global peacemakers and agents of social transformation - shifting from the margins to nation building.

“We believe that a girl who receives a quality education, lives in safety, has self-confidence.

“(If) given opportunities to participate in society, (they) can transform not only her own life but also the lives of her family, community and nation,” Manet said at the 39th World Conference of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, reported Fresh News online portal.

He pledged to champion gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, saying this is key to developing a strong, educated and professional female workforce. 

He said women are not only beneficiaries of peace but contributors to building and sustaining peace at the family, community, national and international levels, reported Fresh News.

With women making up nearly half of the population—most of them under the age of 30—he said they will be central to Cambodia’s future development trajectory.

Cambodian women are leaving their footprints in every sector of the domestic economy. Their literacy rate, according to the World Bank, has breached 80 per cent, and girls’ enrolment was at 100 per cent in 2021.

Enterprising women own 60 per cent of the Kingdom’s micro, small, and medium enterprises and their entrepreneurship drives Cambodia’s private sector, a main engine of growth.

They produce ready-made foodstuffs, high-quality farm products for exports, and operate cafes, food and beverage outlets. 

While on the corporate spectrum, women successfully manage accounting and law firms, private medical centres, dental clinics and private schools.

More than 700,000 women drive the country’s garment, textile and footwear sector that generates roughly US$16 billion (RM65 billion) annually for the economy.

Despite the significant progress, girls are facing harsh realities in completing their basic education, according to civil society groups. 

Social and cultural barriers, lack of opportunities, early school dropouts, early marriages, safety and gender-based biases continue to dim their bright future. 

“The Royal Government has continued to increase investment in gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls to harness the benefits of the gender dividend, support women’s decision-making rights, reduce vulnerability to gender-based violence, and promote stronger intergenerational relations,” said Manet.

As Cambodia aims to graduate from Least Developed Country status by 2029 and achieve upper-middle-income status by 2030, he said women’s participation will be crucial to sustaining long-term economic growth.

-- BERNAMA