Lao Vice-Minister of Education and Sport calls to stop the silence on VAWG

Date:

Vientiane, Lao PDR – The United Nations Secretary-General’s Campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women has proclaimed the 25th of each month as ‘Orange Day’, a day to raise awareness and take action to stop violence against women and girls.

To mark this month’s Orange Day, the Lao Ministry of Educations and Sports (MoES) with support from UN Women produced a video clip, or public service announcement, to call for public attention on the need to break the silence about the issue of violence inflicted to women and girls in the country.

The video entitled ‘No More Silence’ features Mr. Lytou Bouapao, Deputy Minister of MoES; Ms Bouaphan Ratthida, Head of the Sub-Commission for the Advancement of Women at MoES and Andrea Nyberg, UN Women’s Programme Analyst discussing the negative impact that violence has on women and girls. “In Lao PDR, some men think using physical violence is an acceptable way to raise a girl. Around this issue there is a culture of silence. ” said Mr. Bouapao. “The consequences (of violence against women and girls) can last for generations” he added.

The social and political atmosphere in the country is timely for raising awareness on the issue as the government has just recently promulgated the national Law for Prevention of Violence against Women and Children and the MoES is currently in the process of discussing how gender equality and the elimination of violence against women and girls can become part of the school-curriculum.

More information:

Ornwipa Rugkhla
Campaign Coordinator, Asia-Pacific
Ending Violence against Women
UN Women
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
5/F UN Building, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 288 1249
E-mail: [ Click to reveal ]

About UNITE:

The United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign aims to raise public awareness and increase political will and resources for preventing and ending all forms of violence against women and girls in all parts of the world. Through its advocacy initiatives at the global, regional and national levels, the UNiTE campaign is working to mobilize individuals and communities.

Initiated and led by the UNiTE campaign Global Youth Network, Orange Day calls upon activists, governments and UN partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls, not only once a year, on 25 November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every month.