Sitting at a tea stall on a Phnom Penh street corner, watching the endless stream of tuk-tuks and evening commuters, the talk lately has been about Women’s Affairs Minister Ung Kantha Phavi pushing gender equality back into the spotlight. Local media reports show the minister taking a hardline stance, calling gender equality an indispensable compass for the decades ahead.
Under the government's roadmap, whether it is women or young girls, grabbing a slice of the ASEAN 2045 vision means clearing the hurdle of gender equality and empowerment first. Plainly put, the goal is to make the entire Southeast Asian bloc more stable and inclusive down the track.
Living here, you see that most of the small roadside businesses and market stalls are run by women holding things down. Now that the government is putting this front and center, people are hoping it actually translates into real change rather than just gathering dust in official documents.
