Phnom Penh: Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, inaugurated a two-day seminar focused on the role of women in peace and security, specifically aimed at women parliamentarians, on Thursday.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, during her opening remarks at the seminar, which was co-organised by the Parliamentary Centre of Asia and Germany’s Centre for International Peace Operations, Khuon Sudary emphasized the vital role that women play in peacebuilding. She noted that while women frequently endure the harsh impacts of conflicts, they are uniquely positioned to facilitate dialogue, reconciliation, and sustainable peace within their communities. Khuon Sudary highlighted the importance of women’s perspectives in conflict resolution, asserting that their involvement is crucial for bridging divides and fostering societal cohesion in post-conflict scenarios.
The President of the National Assembly pointed out that women’s active participation in peac
e processes significantly contributes to more inclusive and enduring peace agreements. However, despite some advancements in the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, barriers remain, such as cultural norms and customs limiting women’s roles in mediation and negotiation.
Khuon Sudary underlined the practical challenges that restrict women’s involvement, including limited access to information and resources. She stressed the necessity of overcoming these barriers, urging women parliamentarians to leverage their legislative power to champion laws, policies, and programmes supporting the WPS agenda. She also acknowledged Cambodia’s leadership in increasing the deployment of women peacekeepers and noted the country’s pioneering efforts in assessing opportunities for women in peace operations within the ASEAN region.
Proposing four key areas for further action, Khuon Sudary suggested identifying effective legal and policy instruments, strengthening networks and partnerships, enhancing the capacity of women le
aders at all levels, and developing training programmes for women in peace mediation and negotiation. She concluded by highlighting the importance of multistakeholder dialogue and collaboration to ensure women’s contributions are valued in peacebuilding processes.
The seminar’s opening was attended by approximately one hundred participants, including members of the Senate and the National Assembly, along with representatives from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) from several countries, including Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.