HE Mr. Sok An’s comments
for World Population Day reception:
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen:
On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, I am delighted to participate in this evening’s celebration of World Population Day which has as it central theme, “Action Against Poverty: Empower, Protect, Educate.” The Royal Government accords the highest priority to Poverty Reduction and recognizes the empowerment of women and gender issues, as key to addressing poverty.
The Government of Cambodia and UNFPA have been working together for almost 8 years now to alleviate poverty and improve the role and status of women by providing quality and accessible reproductive health and family planning services, capacity building advocacy for women’s rights and the incorporation of gender issues in national plans and policies. With the generous support and technical advice of UNFPA, the Government has achieved several significant milestones, namely a reduction in the HIV/ AIDS prevalence rate, some decrease in the maternal mortality rate and several major policies and planning documents including the SEDP II, and the upcoming PRSP in all of which gender and population issues are integrated.
This evening’s celebration in honor of World Population Day 2002 celebrates the partnership between the Government of Cambodia and the UNFPA. Together we envision women as the key to development and poverty reduction. Empowering women to take a full role in society, ensuring their rights such as health, particularly reproductive health and education, reaches for beyond the individual, to the family and to the society as a whole.
I am pleased to see such a wide audience before me tonight. The participation in this celebration of Honorable Parliamentarians, the Council of Ministers, Line Ministries clearly confirm the Government’s strong commitment towards reducing poverty, improving the status of women and to our strong and friendly partnership with UNFPA.
We also welcome the presence tonight of several people who have traveled from far away to attend this celebration and the workshop on Population and Development Priorities held earlier today, Ms. Sheila Macrac, UNFPA Representative in Thailand, Mr. Richard Leete from UNFPA Headquarters in New York. Your presence clearly indicates the commitment of not just the Country Offices, but also UNFPA as a whole to support the Government and people of Cambodia. UNFPA’s past technical and financial commitments to Cambodia have been instrumental and I am confident that the participation of such an international audience tonight will reinforce the friendship and goodwill between Cambodia and UNFPA.
In conclusion, this congregation of Cambodians and international visitors will serve to further strengthen the friendly relationship between the Royal Government of Cambodia and UNFPA and I hope, will motivate and inspire us all to continue our hard work for the future of women, youth and families of our country.
Thank you and I wish you a pleasant and enjoyable evening.