Laos to draft national plan to end violence against women, children

The Lao National Commission for the Advancement of Women met to draft a national plan for the eradication of violence against women and children, local media reported on Monday. The draft was part of the Lao government's efforts to this effect, said Chansoda Phonphip, head of the commission's secretariat, at the meeting. "We need participants to give advice on the sentences of the draft's contents after the presentation from the officials of the secretaries so as to make it perfect," she said. The commission is in the final stage of drafting the national plan for 2014-2020 before submitting it to the government for approval. According to a secretariat official, Laos still lacks clear statistics regarding the level of violence against women and children. The commission in cooperation with the National Committee for Mother and Child and the Statistics Center of the Ministry for Planning and Investment are carrying out surveys about violence nationwide. A Lao Women's Union interview of over 1,200 men and women over the last decade including interviewees from six provinces showed that violent events were exacerbated by drunkenness and monetary concerns.