“Cambodian Women in NA Are Increased Significantly Since First Election in 1993”

I am very surprise that and congratulated to provisional election results in Rwanda, suffered genocide in 1994, will became world record in which women hold a majority. Even though the seats for women were proposed 30 percent of total seats by minimum quota, the results are increased higher then expected. This is regarding to the international article of the Cambodia Daily on “UN Study Finds Number of Women in Politics Increasing.” on Monday, Sep. 23, 2008, page 24.

Whereas our Cambodian parliament, percentage of women are also increased significantly since first election in 1993 which was 4 percent of 120 seats to 16.3 percent of 123 seats in 2008. This progress caused by a few of parties which made efforts to set up a quota, but not clear, before the national election. However, the increasing has not yet responded to world developments such as the Fourth International Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, in 1995, which called for at least 30 percent representation by women in politics and Million Development Goals in 2000 in New York to empower women to promote gender equity and to fight poverty, gender based violence and diseases.

Based on lesson learned from Rwanda and other women quota nations, NEC (National Election Committee) should also commit to do so for next commune and national elections in Cambodia. On the other hand, national assembly also should start setting up a quota for women to create new government with men and women as partners to develop our country.