PHNOM PENH: Prime Minister Hun Sen shared some information about a survey conducted in Cambodia that shows that women have more support for the Prime Minister than men.

Speaking at an event to commemorate International Women's Day on Tuesday morning, 7 March 2023, at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that this was a survey conducted three times by a foreign company and he believes the greater support shown by women could be due to the establishment of peace and stability in Cambodia today.

He further remarked on the hardships that women disproportionately faced during the Khmer Rouge, with many women losing their families and being forced to flee their homes.

“During the war, our women suffered the most," he said. "Even though women did not take part in the battle, remember that women gave up their husbands, children and siblings to join the army, women suffered too much from the war. After the war ended, women benefited so much.”

According to the Prime Minister, this survey was conducted by a foreign company three times: in January 2022, October 2022 and January 2023.

The Minister of Women's Affairs, Ing Kantha Phavi, has stated that the peace Cambodia has achieved today, and the successful handing of the Covid-19 pandemic, thanks to the leadership of the Cambodian government, has allowed for women's lives to improve. She added that overall gender equality and women’s participation in all sectors of the economy have improved as well.

"All these great achievements I mentioned are the result of the invaluable leadership and merits of Prime Minister Hun Sen, whom we will always remember," she said.

Through current government policy, Cambodia has been able to successfully close the gender gap in the education sector, and school attendance of both male and female students has also increased. Currently there are about 42% of women in Cambodia working in civil service, more than 84% of women participating in economic activities, and more than 600 women deployed as UN peacekeepers.