Plan International Cambodia in partnership with Ministry of Women’s Affairs and UN Women mark the International Day for Girls to voice girls barriers

Plan International Cambodia in partnership with Ministry of Women’s Affairs and UN Women mark the International Day for Girls (11 October) to voice girls barriers – the issues that surround them from top to bottom and left to right, to further improve quality and governance in their schooling.

The language of gender equality is well understood and much used, but the reality of continuing inequality still blights girls’ access to quality education due to internal and structural issues adolescent girls are facing.

“Attitudes are very hard to change. With the lack of education, gender stereo-typing remains an inter-locked barrier faced by girls. It’s improving, but progress is not as fast as we want, especially among rural adolescents. We don’t only need educated boys, but also girls to fix this,” said Mr. Brian Beckett, Acting Country Director of Plan International Cambodia.

He added: “The one step forward two steps back scenario articulated in chapter one of Plan’s Girls Report 2014 is all too real. Collective and targeted action at all levels of society remains the key to sustainable change. And I am pleased that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Plan International Cambodia and UN Women are jointly voicing the issue to mark the International Day for Girls.”

According to the Ministry of Women’s Affair’s Key Gender Statistics in Cambodia 2014, female student enrolment rates at primary to lower secondary school are similar (47-48 per cent) in 2013, but there are still gaps between girls and boys at higher secondary level (45 per cent), especially in the rural areas. MoWA’s Country Gender Assessment 2014 also indicates gender disparity for the enrolment at tertiary education where the proportion of female students is slowly increasing from 33.8 per cent in 2008, 35.8 per cent in 2009, 37.1 per cent in 2010, and 37.6 per cent in 2011. And lower number of adolescent girls from remote rural areas is accessing university level.  The barriers standing in their way include poverty and gender-based discrimination and violence.  In addition, the poor quality of education reduces the possible benefits of education for both girls and boys.

Girls play multiple roles in the household, society and the economy. Upholding the rights of the girl child has seen increased support through the nearly global adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as through the UN Millennium Development Goals target of increasing equality between girls’ and boys’ educational attainment. Girl Child was also one of the 12 critical areas of concern raised in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995, concluding in nine strategic objectives framed as a means of holding governments accountable for girl’s rights. “Freedom from all forms of discrimination against the girl child remains only partly fulfilled, and governments and societies must galvanize efforts if true freedom is to be won. Policies and programmes initiated must be duty-bound to take into consideration the differing, yet critical, needs of the girl child in terms of physical protection from sexual and physical exploitation, discrimination in all forms including in the field of education, and increased awareness of the struggles being faced by girls today”, said Ms. Wenny Kusuma, UN Women Cambodia Representative. UN Women strongly supports the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative and its three priorities to put every child in school, to improve the quality of learning, and to foster global citizenship.

What adolescent girls are facing – from the top to bottom, left to right?

Barriers such as limited knowledge, skills and confidence, nutrition, safety to financial standing are still driving adolescent girls out of schools. They need enabling environment that can be made positive by consistent attention of their household, communities, social economy and the government.  

“Quality education is important for personal and societal change. However, a quality education cannot be achieved without engaging students themselves its governance wherein gender equality is guaranteed. Supportive environment for adolescent girls is as vital. Indeed the two have to go hand in hand. Girls need supporting parents, role models as well as educators, leaders and decision makers who can stand up for what is right, not for what is accepted and comfortable,” added Mr. Brian Beckett.

Through it’s Because I am a Girl campaign since 2007, child rights organisation Plan has made a key move with the declaration of 11 October as the International Day for Girls by the United Nations General Assembly in 2011.  

Media contacts:

  Ministry of Women’s Affairs

  Plan International Cambodia

• Mr. Brian Beckett, Acting Country Director, Mobile: +855 17 333 146, Email: [ Click to reveal ],
• Mrs. Ek Sophanna, Country Gender Specialist: Mobile: +855 12 938 669, Email: Ek.Sophanna@plan-international.org
• Mr. Mom Chantara Soleil, Communications Manager, Mobile: +855 12 439 697, Email: [ Click to reveal ]

  UN Women

• Inala Fathimath, Ending Violence Against Programme Specialist, [ Click to reveal ]
• Veronika Stepkova, Communications Officer, [ Click to reveal ]

More information:

• http://plan-international.org/girls/
• Because I am a Girl is Plan's campaign to fight gender inequality, promote girls' rights and lift millions of girls out of poverty.
• Since 2007 Plan has been producing a global report on the State of World’s Girls with a different theme each year.