By Matters India Reporter

Vientiane (Lao): Christian women of Laos People’s Democratic Republic have pledged to empower communities for overcoming increasing violence against women Lao society.

Impact of immediate and long-term consequences of increasing violence against women and gender inequality was the thematic focus of a two-day training workshop held in Vientiane, capital of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic on 27-28 November 2017.

In this connection, Christian Conference of Asia (CCA together with the Women’s division of the Lao Evangelical Church held a national seminar to discuss ways to tackle growing violence against women. Some 60 women representatives from different parts of the LPDR attended it.

Various sessions of the workshop covered on the ways of empowering communities for overcoming increasing violence against women Lao society, said Maria Yorke, a participant.

She added that the experiences shared by the participants analysed on how women’s general well-being affects negatively and prevents women from fully participating in society. Violence not only has negative consequences for women but also their families, the community and the country at large.

Although legal systems and social reforms to end domestic violence, sexual assault and other forms of violence against women in several Asian countries, but challenges continue to remain in implementing such laws effectively, limiting women’s access to security and justice.

The participants shared experiences of local situations of violence against women in Laos and highlighted the importance of mobilizing church women in Laos to be engaged in advocacy on violence against women using national international and regional mechanisms/instruments at various levels.

“The Lao Church women will participate in efforts for strengthening ecumenical women’s networks in partnership with local communities and organizations to combat violence against women and build peace in communities”, affirmed the participants of the workshop at the closing session.

Laos is one of the world’s few remaining communist states and one of East Asia’s poorest.