In 2007–2008, 39.804 people aged 15 to 40 (22.511 women and 17.239 men) were freed from illiteracy. If compared to 2006-2007, there was an increase of 56.034 literate people.

2) Basic e ducation. The Government has established a basic education project with a budget of USD $34,02 million, which includes USD 20 million loan from the ADB, a grant of USD 5,02 million from the Australian Government, the Lao Government’s contribution of USD 8 million and the Lao people’s contribution of USD 1 million.

The project seeks to:

- Enable women and people of all ethnic groups at all ages to contribute to national socio-economic development;

- Improve better education in both quality and quantity;

- Create opportunities for girls and ethnic children and young adults to have access to primary education so as to complete the compulsory education required by Government policy since 1996 and to enable them to continue to secondary studies and beyond.

The project life span was 2000–2007 divided into two phases. The first phase ran from 2000–2003 in 6 provinces covering 12 districts. The second phase ran from 2004–2007 extended to 5 more provinces, covering 40 districts. The project was not only designed for providing opportunities for girls to educational learning but also trained 486 ethnic teachers in which 326 were women and 160 men.

In the attempt to promote women’s education, the Government has collaborated with the international community in formulating and implementing various projects on the promotion of women’s education such as:

(1)Project for the promotion of girls’ and communities’ quality education. The project aims at supporting girls and communities in education, healthy lifestyle, income generation, improved living conditions and people’s participation in decision-making ( in collaboration with ICS-Asia ). The project runs since 2001 till now in 6 provinces: Champasak, Saravan, Sekong, Vientiane, Xieng Khouang and Houaphan. The project provides: (1) buildings for primary schools and kindergarten funded with people’s contribution; (2) class-room equipment; (3) clean water and latrine facilities at school and home; (4) Learning equipment, text books, sport equipment and school uniforms; (5)house repairs; (6) mosquito impregnated nets and blankets; (7) the set up of rice banks; cattle banks; family gardens, and fish ponds to provide assistance to people to support their children to attend school.

On general education: The project provides information on healthcare, HIV/AIDS, the rights of the child, gender roles and treatment for students with disabilities, library books, training in farming and livestock breeding, training and creating activities for “friend helping friend “among teenagers and girls at school. The project organises training in gender roles and equality, and children’s rights for project targets, village education committees, students’ parents and students themselves. So far, 235 people have been trained out of which 103 women and 132 men.

(2)Project for the promotion of basic education for improved quality of life in collaboration with World Concern, running from 2006 to 2011. The project is based in SekongProvince, covering Kaleum and Dak-cheung districts. The project aims at providing informal education for target groups by including vocational training in the project activities.

(3)Project for Development of Community Education Centre. (Japan National Federation of UNESCO Association). The project began its activities in Luang Prabang province with activities such as: building a centre for community education, training administrators of the centre for community education and organising learning and teaching for women. The project also established a revolving fund for adults to have access to capital for their supplementary work to earn extra income for their families. The project has received assistance of USD 24,725. So far, the project has been able to set up 340 community education centres involving 76.600 volunteer teachers.

(4)Pilot project to teach Kummu language to eradicate illiteracy. The project is based in Hinheup District, Vientiane province, with the support from UNESCO in Bangkok of USD 9,000. The project has developed a handbook to improve teaching methods of Lao language for Kummu people so that they can learn the language more rapidly. The outcome of the project shows that it is possible to apply the lessons learned of the pilot project in other Centres for Community Education where there are Kummu communities.

(5)Vocational training for women and the disadvantaged Project in collaboration with theinternational volunteers of Japan. The project is based in Xieng Khouang, Luang Prabang, VientianeProvince and Vientiane Capital. The training deals with garment work, carpentry, food cooking, beauty salon, flowers making and others with a total budget of USD 218,550.

18. Please provide updated information on budgetary allocations for the education of women and girls, including the annual percentages of the total national budget allocated, since the consideration of the combined initial through fifth periodic report in 2005.

During the period 2005-2007, the Government allocated each year a budget for education as follows:

First, the total budget allocated for education in 2004-2005 was 701,650.19 million kip, for women’s education 315,461.92 million kip, about 44,96 per cent of the total budget of education sector and about 1,12 per cent of GDP.

Second, the total budget of 2005-2006 allocated for education was 1,008,053.83 million kip, for women’s education 454,329.84 million kip, about 45,7 per cent of the total budget allocation for education sector, and about 1,36 per cent of GDP.

Third, in 2006-2007 academic year, the total budget allocated for education was 1,248,417,62 million kip out of which for women’s education 5,650,338 million kip equal to 45,26 per cent of the total budget for education and equal to 1,43 per cent of GDP.

The table below shows the details of budget allocated for education in 2001-2007.

Description	00/01	01/02	02/03	03/04	04/05	05/06	06/07
	T	1,173,776	1,248,695	1,307,353	1,358,102	1,397,377	1,424,823	1,449,590
Total	F	524,274	554,130	584,257	609,298	628,281	642,222	656,114
	M	649,502	694,565	723,096	748,804	769,096	782,601	793,476
GDP (millions)	15,885,000.00	17,719,000.00	21,499,000.00	24,621,000.00	28,076,000.00	33,300,000.00	39,492,000.00
Government budget (millions)	3,547,750.00	4,035,000.00	3,821,582.19	5,862,577.39	5,218,925.28	7,006,132.60	5,986,969.50
Education budget total (millions)	312,510.00	422,331.24	464,185.82	597,696.32	701,650.19	1,008,053.83	1,248,417.62
Current education budget (millions)	164,840.00	191,445.51	175,073.30	206,832.02	308,271.72	358,062.94	467,305.51
Investment education (millions)	147,670.00	230,885.73	289,112.52	390,864.30	393,378.47	649,990.89	781,112.11
Unit cost per student	266,243	338,218	355,058	440,097	502,119	707,494	862,221
Total cost for female student as GDP	139,584	187,417	207,445	268,150	315,472	454,368	565,059
% of total cost for female student as GDP	0.88%	1.06%	0.96%	1.09%	1.12%	1.36%	1.43%
% of total cost for female student as Gov. Budget	3.93%	4.64%	5.43%	4.57%	6.04%	6.49%	9.44%
% of total cost for female student as edu. Budget	44.67%	44.38%	44.69%	44.86%	44.96%	45.07%	45.26%

S ource: Ministry of Education.

Health

19. According to the report , access to health- care services remains a challenge, particularly in the rural areas ; health indicators in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic mark the lowest standard in the region ; maternal and infant mortality rates are high and there are huge gaps between rural and urban areas in respect of access to health care. Since the consideration of the report in 2005, what specific measures have been undertaken by the S tate p arty to ensure access to health- care services for women throughout the country, inclu ding in rural and remote areas?

In order to improve the life and health of women, the Government of the Lao PDR has adopted and implemented the following priority work plans with a view to enhancing women’s access to health-care services such as:

a.Campaign on model healthy village establishment as part of the villages or cluster development villages.

Campaign on maternal mortality reduction.

b.Campaign on maternal mortality reduction.

c.Campaign on increased child survival, especially newborn babies, through intensive care, breastfeeding, comprehensive and safe immunisation, anti-contagious disease treatment.

d.Campaign on surveillance, prevention and combating pandemic diseases in association with addressing hunger, dehydration and malnutrition.

e.Campaign on human resource development and competent personnel training as planned.

f.Campaign on improved institution, mechanism, legislation and planning restructuring.

g.Campaign on the establishment of sustainable healthcare financial system.

h.Campaign on the efficient mobilisation of external cooperation, assistance and investment.

20. Please provide updated information on budgetary allocations for the health of women and girls, including the annual percentages of the total national budget allocated, since the consideration of the combined initial through fifth periodic report in 2005.

The budget allocated for health care in respect of women and children for the period from 2005 to 2008 is shown on the table below:

Description	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Budget allocated for Mothers’ and Children’s health care (in million kip)	18,384	21,067	30,530	40,082
Ratio between budget for Mothers’ and Children’s health care and the total budget of health sector (without ODA)	17.0%	17.5%	17.8%	18.6%
Ratio between budget for Mothers’ and Children’s health care and total State budget (without ODA)	0.43%	0.40%	0.50%	0.51%
Ratio between budget for Mothers’ and Children’s health care and GDP(without ODA)	0.054%	0.055%	0.071%	0.079%

It is to be noted that the total budget allocated for mothers’ and children’s healthcare for 2006-07 was 14% higher than 2005-2006, and for 2007-2008, there was an increase of 44% if compared to 2006-2007, and for 2008-2009, another increase of 31% if compared to previous fiscal year.

Source: Ministry of Public Health

21. The report indicates ( see table 16) that a very high number of women (36,066 out of 114,165 women) gave birth to children at home in 2004 and 2005, without the assistance of a midwife. Further to the Committee ’ s previous concluding comments (see para. 26) , please elaborate on concrete steps undertaken to reduce the high maternal and infant mortality rates. In this respect, please provide additional data on the maternal mortality rate, disaggregated by the age of the women, and urban or rural sectors, since the consideration of the combined initial through fifth periodic report in 2005. Please also provide additional data on the infant mortality rate, disaggregated by sex, age and cause of death of the infant .

The Government has taken the following practical measures to reduce maternal and child mortality rates:

First, the Government has increased the number of medical kits distributed to villages. In 2006, the number of village medical kits was 5.561, and up to October 2008, the numberincreased to 5.668, covering 98 per cent of target villages ( villages that could not have access to health care services) aimed at addressing health care services for rural and remote people.

Second, the Government has dispatched trained midwives and child delivery assistant personnel to assist people in giving birth safely at home, at pre-natal and child delivery facilities, and dispensaries (as an alternative to giving birth in the forest practised by ethnic people), at district, provincial and central hospitals.

Third, the Government has set up mobile medical units to offer free medical check-up and treatment to local people including women namely for cleft palate and cataracts removal operations.

Fourth, the Government has expanded family planning services to reach out rural and remote ethnic women through training of local personnel for contraceptive distribution. The various forms of contraceptive on offer include condoms, pills and drug injection.One contraceptive distributor is looking after 410 villages. This undertaking has helped rural and remote ethnic women have access to family planning services thus reducing the risk of unwanted pregnancy and child birth. Since 2006 and up to now, there are currently 68 local contraceptive distributors in 8 provinces covering 14 districts thus increasing the family planning ration in rural and remote villages from 0 per cent to at least 28 per cent to 87 per cent.

Fifth, the Government also mobilizes people to embrace healthy lifestyle; encouraging people and communities to have clean drinking water (boiled water), clean food (well cooked) and sanitation ( installation and usage of latrine facilities).

Sixth, the Government has assisted the people to protect themselves from malaria by distributing 1,19 million impregnated bednets to 3.3 million people in malaria-prone areas.

Seventh, the Government has organized regular immunization and National Immunization Day for women and children against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, tuberculosis, measles, hepatitis B and polio; If calculated in percentage, in 2007 and 2008, the number of children having vaccination against tuberculosis was 56 per cent and 68 per cent respectively, against diphtheria and Hepatitis B was 51 per cent and 61 per cent, against measles was 40 per cent and 52 per cent, anti- polio doses 46 per cent and 60 per cent. Nevertheless, in 2007, there was only 27 per cent of children under 1 year old had received a complete set of 8 different vaccinations and only 55.5 per cent of women had received anti-pertussis vaccination, and on the national measles immunization day, 96 per cent of children under one year old had been vaccinated.

Eighth, the Government has also organized various national immunization day resulting in the reduction of whooping cough, diphtheria, tuberculosis, measles, hepatitis and the total eradication of polio. In percentage, in 2006, BCG covered 100,2 per cent, DTC and hepatitis B 82,2 per cent, polio 81,7 per cent, measles 71,8 per cent. In 2007, the record of vaccination is as follows: DPT3 covered 50 per cent, polio 46 per cent children under 1 year old, 27 per cent had full immunisation, 55,5 per cent of women were vaccinated against tetanus. On the National Vaccination Day, 96 per cent of targeted people were vaccinated against measles in 2007 and 2008.

Ninth, attention was also paid to solving malnutrition by providing, for example, iodised salt (covered 85 per cent) distributed vitamin A tablets, iron supplement, and worm killer tablets.

Tenth, 74 per cent of the population has been provided with clean water, 49 per cent of the people have access to latrine facilities, and 19 per cent of schools have latrine facilities.

Eleventh, the Government has taken measures to combat the outbreak of epidemics, such as avian flu and SARS.

Twelfth, build and renovate 789 dispensaries nationwide, the majority of which are located in rural areas (approximately 90 per cent).

Thirteenth, build and renovate hospitals at all levels: It involves 127 district hospitals, 16 provincial and 4national ones, including 19 renovated and 16 newly built district hospitals, most of them in rural areas. Three newly built provincial hospitals are in Luangnamtha and Vientiane provinces. Further, there have been four regional hospitals which have been renovated and newly built for the Northern part, one in Luang Prabang and the other in Oudomxay (newly built); for the middle part is in Savannaket and for the Southern part is in Champasak (upgraded). The Government has also modernised national hospitals: A new cardiology section has been built and equipped with modern facilities at MahosotHospital. In Mittaphab (Friendship) Hospital, one separate building has been renovated and used for avian flu and SARS treatment only. In the mother and child hospital, patient-rooms, operation and post-operation rooms, and rooms for newborn babies have been improved. In the eye hospital, a new additional treatment building has been built and the infrastructure and service techniques of the rehabilitation centre have been modernised. In the dermatology treatment centre, patient rooms have also been renovated.

According to the 2005 census, the children under 1 year mortality rate was 70 per 1,000 newborn, children under five mortality rate was 98 per 1,000. The causes include: non-transmittable diseases, 4 per cent, neonatal 37 per cent,injury 4 per cent acute respiratory infection 17 per cent, diarrhoea 16 per cent, malaria 7 per cent, measles 4 per cent, HIV/AIDS 2 per cent, other infections 9 per cent. Women mortality rates are illustrated in the table below:

Age range	Mortality rates per 1,000
15-19	404.8
20-24	405.2
25-29	405.5
30-34	406.2
35-39	406.8
40-44	400.0
45-49	306.7
15-49	405

22. In its previous concluding comments , the Committee recommended that the State party should take all measures necessary to raise awareness among men and women especially in rural areas, around construction sites and existing and emerging trade routes, to the risk of HIV/AIDS (see para. 28) . According to the report, the number of women infected with HIV/AIDS increases at an average rate of 8 per cent per year. Please provide more information on the implementation of the plans and programmes to combat HIV/AIDS referred to in the report. This should include details on progress, challenges and gaps in implementation , monitoring and evaluation mechanisms established and results achieved. Please indicate whether there are any special measures for prevent ion in places that target women and what other concrete measures are undertaken by the S tate party to addres s the feminization of HIV/AIDS.

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Lao PDR is still relatively low if compared with neighbouring countries. The Government does, however, consider the prevalence of HIV/AIDS a serious issue affecting the socio-economic development of the country and health of the people. The Government’s objective is to keep the level of HIV/AIDS infection to the minimum. Measures taken by the Government include:

First, the Government has appointed the National Committee Against AIDS, chaired by the Minister of Public Health with 13 members from 13 different agencies such as Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Public Work and Transportation, the Central Women’s Union, the Trade Union, the Youth Union, the Lao Front for National Construction and the Lao Red Cross. The provincial and district Committees against AIDS are chaired by the deputy governors and deputy district Chief respectively.

Second, the Government has established Anti-AIDS Centre which is under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health.

Third, the Government has, to this end, taken preventive and curative measures which include the following:

-Check and provide treatment of sexually transmitted diseases for service girls across the country at an interval of 3-6 months.

-Implement a 100 per cent condom project for service girls at entertainment places in 15 provinces.

-Distribute condoms all over the country.

-Set up medical check-up centres for service girls in 4 provinces ( Luang Prabang, Vientiane Capital, Savannaket, Champasak).

-Set up health centres for men in 2 provinces (Vientiane Capital and Savannaket).

-Create project volunteer teaching friends for service girls.

-Set up project volunteer teaching friends for homosexuals.

-Organize mobile advocacy campaign on changing behaviour for service girls.

-Expand blood test sites to 91 sites and advisory sites to 16 sites.

-Improve the services related to sexually transmitted diseases in 164 provincial and district hospitals.

-Include anti AIDS program in infrastructure construction projects.

-Raise anti-AIDS awareness for members of National Assembly, officials, academic institutions and private sectors.

-Expand HIV/AIDS carriers networking from 7 provinces to 10 provinces.

-Mobilize the participation of infected persons in awareness-raising.

-Encourage the infected people to participate in the campaign against HIV/AIDS.

-Make use of the belief in Buddhism and Buddha teaching to comfort the moral of infected persons.

-Develop handbook for good behaviour in collaboration with FHI, PSI and LYAP organizations.

-Develop handbook for 100 per cent safe sex by using condoms in accordance with the WHO’s guidelines.

-Develop handbook for consultancy services and voluntary blood tests in collaboration with national experts in different agencies hospitals and some provinces.

-Develop handbook for quick blood tests in collaboration with epidemiological centres, the committee’s secretariat at provincial level, national hospitals and a number of provincial hospitals.

-Print brochures, caps, T-shirts and posters for dissemination of information against HIV/AIDS.

-Treatment of AIDS with ARV:

+Expansion of treatment networkswith ARV (SVK, VTC, LPB, CPS)

+ Treatment covered more than 60 per cent

+ Develop handbook on ART/OI

+ Organize medical procurement and delivery

+ Collaborate with WHO, MSF and PR for ARV drug procurement centre twice a year.

+ Collaborate with Drug and Medical Equipment Centre for the distribution of ART/OI to various HIV/AIDS treatment Centres.

Fourth, the Government has taken measures on survey and monitoring as follows:

-The third round survey of AIDS infection rates found that the infection rates had reduced from 2,0 per cent in 2004 to 0,4 per cent in 2008

-The survey for infection among homosexuals in 2007 found that the infection rate was 5,6 per cent

-Conducted survey at three national hospitals for the infection rate among pregnant women in 2008 was 0.3 per cent.

-Conducted survey in 2008 for infection rate of STD among drug addicts with chlamydia 13,6 per cent and gonorrhea 1.1 per cent.

Fifth, the Government’s measures on capacity-building for officials include the following:

-Training in estimation of target groups.

-Training in surveillance and monitoring surveys.

-Training in ART/OI for doctors and nurses.

-Training in medicine prescription for the AIDS-infected people.

-Training for the Anti-AIDS committee’s secretariat at provincial level and friend — teaching — friend, volunteering in communication to change behaviour.

Sixth,in the field of the International Collaboration

The Government has received assistance from Anti-HIV/AIDS International Fund for the first, fourth and sixth rounds of Anti-HIV/AIDS campaign.

The Government also received assistance from the following organizations:

-ADB – CDC

-USAID (CDC, FHI, MSH,Clinton Foundation)

-AUSAID (BI, Albion Street centre)

-United Nations agencies

-MSF Suisse and MSF Belgium

-AFD and others

-2006-2008 budget: USD 16,616,835

Challenges

The Government will need effective measures to cope with the following challenges:

The number of entertainment places such as night clubs have increased.

Number of drug addicts has increased.

Increased People’s movement heightening the risk of HIV/AIDS infection.

Data and information about people at high risk is limited.

Lack of facilities for dissemination of information.

Misperception among many institutions that combating AIDS is the sole duty of the public health sector.

Lack of competent personnel.

Lack of financial resources.

The treatment by using ARV is relatively new for the anti AIDS Centre.

Estimation of AIDS infected persons which need ARV still remains an issue.

The treatment by using ARV needs the cooperation from patients so as to avoid drug resistance.

Lack of money for transport and diagnosis fees of infected persons.

The Government’s operation against HIV/AIDS in recent years is bearing fruit. Infection has decreased. If the Government has sufficient budget, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS could be contained.

Employment, rural women ’ s access to property and poverty

23. In its previous concluding comments , the Committee recommended that the S tate party should study the impact of its economic reforms on women, with a view to improving equality between women and men in the labour market, including strengthening formal and informal mechanisms for the resolution of labour disputes through appropriate representation of women (see para. 34) . Please elaborate on the steps undertaken by the State party to implement tho se recommendations. Please provide details of the sectors where women predominately work and also indicate how occupational segregation, pay inequalities, sexual harassment in the workplace and issue s of occupational hea l th and safety of women in both the public and private sector s are being addressed.

The impact of economic reform on women may be both positive and negative. In general, the implementation of the economic reform policy, switching from centralised planning economic management to market–oriented economic mechanism, and the expansion of the country’s global cooperation and integration from 1986 onward have brought about considerable benefits to the entire population, including women. Many of them have become successful businesswomen. In addition, the foreign investment flow into Lao PDR has constantly increased with greater job occupation for Lao labour force. So far, there are 151,906 workplaces, which provided jobs for men and women alike, and some sectors have even employed a large number of female workers; the garment sector, for example, has employed more women than anywhere else. There are currently 27.525 persons working in the garment sector including 22.202 female workers equal to 80 per cent and 5.505 male workers equal to 20 per cent. Nevertheless, the economic reform policy also has negative impacts on society, including on women. The expansion of international economic cooperation has created favourable conditions for national socio-economic development, (90 per cent of government development projects are funded by international assistance) whereas the economic development has created more freedom for women to choose their life pattern, jobs, business opportunities and others. While all these activities have brought about great benefits to the Lao nation and women, there are also a considerable number of people, especially women and children being exposed to the risk of human trafficking, prostitution and other criminal acts: Many of them have fallen victims of human trafficking, forced labour and trade in prostitution. They are at risk of falling victims to human trafficking, forced labour and prostitution.

The Government’s policy is focused on promotion of gender equality in all sectors. All sectors are open for men and women to apply without discrimination. According to laws and practices, both men and women receive the same salaries and wages for work of the same value. For example, director-generals of departments in a government agency receive the same salaries regardless of their sex. In addition, the labour law has defined provisions for the protection of women, such as Article 38 which prohibits employing pregnant women to work in certain areas; Article 39 allows a woman to take leave before or after giving birth to a child and Article 41 provides conditions for employing children with a certain limit of ages and working hours. Onoccupational health and safety, the Lao PDR has put in place a social insurance system for public servants and enterprise employees. Any company that has employees from ten persons upward has to join the social insurance system to insure the health care of its employees. Any violation of the rules may be filed with the authority concerned. For instance, in 2008, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare received a complaint from a woman stating that she was laid off from work while being pregnant for 7 months. According to Lao Labour law, in such a case, the employer must pay compensation to the plaintiff.For Labour dispute, the Labour Law serves as an important instrument for dispute settlement. The Criminal Law and the Law on the Development and Protection of Women will come into play for addressing cases of violence against women, including sexual abuses and harassment at work places.

24. According the report, villagers, especially the poor, do not have opportunities for self- development and do not have access to social -economic services, such as self- help funding, education and health care. In this regard, please provide data and trends showing the rates of rural women ’ s educational levels, health-related issues and access to health services, the nature of their participation in the formal and informal labour sectors and access to loans and financial credit. What steps has the S tate party undertaken to improve women ’ s access to economic opportunities such as production capital, market information and pro duction technologies?

Government’s measures taken for facilitating women’s access to education and health care, and the trend of women’s education have been already elaborated in the answers to question numbers 17 and 21 above. Nevertheless, additional explanation is given hereunder:

First, over the past recent years, the Government has concentrated a large amount of resources on the development of education focusing on development of curriculum and necessary infrastructure so that the educational sector is improved in both quantity and quality. This goes hand in hand with the promotion of gender equality in getting access to socio-economic services, including educational services. The rate of women’s literacy had progressively increased from 47,9 per cent in 1995 to 63,2 per cent in 2005. However, the results of the 2005 census conducted by the Statistics Department, Ministry of Planning and Investment indicated that there remains a big gap between the women’s and men’s literacy rate. The number of both male and female enrolment has a direct influence on their literacy ability. For example, the literacy rate of men from the age of 15 and above in urban areas (92,4 per cent) is higher than that of women in the same areas (84,5 per cent). Similarly the literacy rate of rural men from the age of 15 and above (77,1 per cent) is also higher than that of rural women of the same age (54,0 per cent). These figures also indicate that the literacy rate of urban men and women is higher than those in rural areas.

Second, access to health services has already been elaborated above. In its overall policy, the Government has outlined a strategy for health care development with a strong emphasis on protecting people’s health while taking account prevention as main task and treatment as vital. This will go hand in hand with the expansion of the health service network across the country so that everybody can have access to health services and be in good health for active participation in the socio-economic development of the country.

Third, measures taken for access to credit. The Government has made great efforts to create opportunities and conditions for people of all ethnic groups particularly the poor and women, to have access to financial and banking services, by providing small loans or credits. Beginning in 2003/04 the National Assembly has approved a fund with an amount of 25 billion kip for the establishment of village development funds in 47 priority poorest districts. In 2004-05, 2005-06 fiscal years, the NA also adopted an additional fund of 10 billion kip, and in 2006-07, 9,5 billion kip for those village development funds. The objective of establishing such a fund is to create favourable conditions for poor people, especially women, to have access to credits and resources for production. In addition, the Agricultural Development Bank provides opportunities for farmers to have access to capital for production. In 2007, the Government established Nayobay Bank in order to provide loans to poor people, including women, focusing on 47 targeted poor districts. In addition, the mass organisations, particularly, the Lao Women’s Union, has mobilised and encouraged the establishment of saving funds so as to provide opportunities for business people to have access to capital for production in different sectors, such as handicraft, livestock breeding, crop cultivation and other kinds of services.

Fourth, the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare has cooperated with the International Labour Organisation to implement a project for the prevention of trafficking in women and children in five provinces in the Middle and Southern parts of the country covering 23 districts and 95 targeted villages and 40 non-target villages. To this end, village development funds have been established to prevent labour outflow to Thailand as well as to combat human trafficking and to alleviate poverty in the targeted areas. The establishment of village development funds, which have saved up to 10,500,000,000 kip equivalent to USD 125,000. It has 15,681 members, of which 7,467 members are women. The fund pursues a policy of providing zero interest on loans to the poorest families, who borrowed money for medical treatment of their family members. This has resulted in a 40 per cent reduction of labour outflow in target provinces to foreign countries. In short, the Government has devoted its limited resources coupled with the mobilisation of domestic resources as well as donated resources from foreign countries or development partners to improve and construct necessary infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, dispensaries/medical kits, bridges, roads, irrigation systems and other basic facilities to create favourable conditions for the people to have wide access to economic and social services thus improving people’s to people’s contact, trade exchange and living conditions of the people.

Fifth, the Government has also taken measures in the field of agriculture and forestry. The agriculture and forestry sector has been pro-active in the attempt to eradicate poverty, participating actively in the implementation of the strategy for comprehensive development in rural areas where there are focal development projects for women.

-The agriculture and forestry sector is resolved to turning subsistence crop cultivation and livestock farming and forestry along with producers’ organization to boost production.

-The sector also collaborates with the industrial manufacturing sector to promote the processing of agricultural products to add value to agricultural and forestry products. This will help create more jobs, reduce unemployment of urban women and effectively increase working time of rural women.

-The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Central Bank of Lao PDR, the Ministry of Telecommunication, Transportation, Post and Construction, the Lao Women’s Union, and local administrations, supports the production in the fields of cultivation farming, livestock breeding and forestry as well as marketing by providing information on marketing. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has also improved transportation, storage, processing techniques, skills in production and packaging and loan provision.

-It has also promoted income generation by increasing production of crop cultivation and livestock and through the organisation of integrated producers groups. To set up technical promotion system, transfer of technology as well as import services for production (breeds, fertiliser, pesticide, machinery) while paying attention to developing training curricula suitable to each target with special attention to women and ethnic groups.

25. According to the report, p overty is mostly found in rural and remote areas, especially among women. In its previous concluding comments , the Committee urged the S tate party to accelerate its plan to eradicate poverty among women, especially rural and ethnic minority women, by seeking international assistance more actively and , at the same time , by applying gender perspectives in all development programmes and fully integrating women into decision-making on those programmes and in their implementation process es (see para. 22) . Please elaborate on measures undertaken by the State party to implement tho se recommendations. What has the state party done to ensure that ethnic minority women who depend on opium poppy production are provided with alternative and su stainable means of livelihood?

Most elements of this question have largely been explained in the answer to question No.24 above. Additional information may include the following points: (1)Some measures taken to reduce poverty; (2) the participation of women in decision-making and implementation in respect to development planning; (3) solutions to the opium cultivation issue.

First, over the past years, besides the building of infrastructure and other facilities for the development and enhancement of living conditions of the people, the Government has created conditions for and allowed women to participate in the economic and social development on equal terms with men. In addition, women are allowed to have equal access to training to upgrade their knowledge and skills so as to effectively develop themselves, their families, the organization and communities.

Second, in 2002, the Government set up a fund for poverty alleviation worth USD 20,67 million, the operation of which has begun in 3 provinces. They include Houaphanh, Savannakhet and Champasak, covering 14 districts by providing funds for 409 projects. So far, the operation of the fund has expanded to Xiengkhouang and XekongProvinces now totalling 5 provinces covering 20 districts in which there are 1,913 villages, 781 out of which are poor villages. The objectives of the project activities aim at building infrastructure in rural areas which include schools, health care centres and medical kits, small scale irrigations, rural roads and bridges. In addition, there are other activities designed for earning additional incomes such as weaving works and so on. The project phase II of the fund will run from 2009 to 2011 and has been supported by the World Bank and the Swedish International Development Assistance, worth USD19,8 million, USD15 million of which is the World Bank’s grant. In this phase, the operation of the fund extends to one more province- LuangNamthaProvince. This amount of fund was provided for the continuation of the activities that have been implemented from phase I of the project. So far 19 out of the 47 poorest districts of the Government’s development priority have been covered by the operation of the fund for poverty alleviation.

Third, following the adoption by the NA of the National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy (NGPES) in 2003, the Government has adopted four sectors: Agriculture, Education, Public health and Infrastructure (Transportation) as main sectors to boost economic growth and help eradicate poverty and promote investment. The Ministry of Planning and Investment collaborates with those four sectors and the Steering Committee for Rural Development as well as with relevant sectors at provincial level, organised training in the formulation of plans of action for participatory development of cluster villages for government officials concerned at district level, which include planning, agriculture, education, health, industrial, handicrafts and commerce, energy and mining, tourism, labour and social welfare. The training emphasises the importance of gender roles by encouraging the promotion of women’s participation in the processing of data and information collection and analyses, as well as in the process of priority or activities formulation for the development of a village group and alleviation of poverty. Knowledge and skills learned from the training have since been put into practice in targeted village groups in those targeted provinces and districts. So far, 68 village groups in 57 poor districts of the 72 completed the formulation of such plans of action. The formulation of a participatory plan of action has given women opportunities to participate equally with men in the elaboration and decision making in respect of such plans of action. In doing so, women have become more apt to understand their roles, more confident and more pro-active to participate in the process of formulating plans for socio-economic development. In addition, the Ministry of Planning and Investment has worked closely with the Lao Women’s Union and other relevant agencies and local administration to integrate gender roles into the National Strategy for Socio-Economic Development and their own development plans, at the same time gradually building capacity for women.

Fourth, the National Commission for Drugs Control has adopted the National Strategy for Drugs Control in the Lao PDR with the introduction of ways and means to stop opium growing by implementing the NGPES and poverty eradication programmes for opium growing substitution. The activities to be done include: (1) formulation of a general national development strategy which will do away with opium growing and which will be carried out by a strong implementing centre at district level; (2) Establishing a development fund for the purpose of developing opium growing alternatives; (3) providing various technical personnel for such centres, for example, personnel dealing with financial and income generation matters. Rural areas such as Yort-ou and Samphanh districts of Phongsaly province, Xaysomboun, Vientiane province, Vieng Phoukha, Luang Numtha, Mueng District in Bokeo, Khamkeut, Vieng Xay, Viengthong and Samtay districts in Huaphanh and other poor districts in other provinces are the targets of these activities.

Vulnerable groups of women

26. Given that , according to the report, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic is one of the most multi-ethnic nations in the world , with 49 official ethnic groups , please provide more information on the human rights situation of women belonging to ethnic and minority groups, in respect of education, employment, health-related issues and access to health services, access to land rights and protection from violence. Similar information should be provided in respect of women belonging to other vulnerable groups, including el derly women and disabled women.

Regarding the education, employment and access to health care of the people of all ethnic groups, especially vulnerable groups of women, the Government of the Lao PDR has the following comments and explanations:

First, the Lao PDR does not consider any Lao ethnic groups as ethnic minorities. The Government policy on socio-economic development has been designed to create benefits equally enjoyed by all ethnic groups of Laos. All ethnic groups have the same civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights. The implementation of the programme for poverty alleviation is a good example. The programme has been designed with a view to bringing development to all villages and village groups which have been identified as programme targets: the poorest villages and village groups. The qualification for the priority of development is the degree of poverty, not the ethnicity of the people. All members of a targeted village, for instance, will equitably and equally enjoy the benefits from development projects, education, health care, development funds, loans and others, without discrimination as to their ethnic origins.

Second, all 49 ethnic groups have equally benefited from the various development projects, programmes and measures specified above in accordance with their priorities. In education, a centre for the promotion of education for women, ethnic people and persons with disabilities has been established. In implementing educational policy towards women and ethnic people, the Ministry of Education has set up a number of education projects such as vocational and upgrading training for ethnic people, a project for the promotion of basic education on quality of life. The Ministry has also organised training on quality of life. The Ministry has also trained teachers who are of ethnic origins to meet the needs for teachers in rural areas where a mixture of people of many ethnic groups exist.

Third, since 1995 the National Land Title Authority has carried out the programme of Land titling (phase 1 (1995-2003) and phase II (2003-2008)). As of 2006, the project had issued 393200 land title certificates for the people, in which 142276 certificates belonged to women, equivalent to 36,18 per cent. The programme of land titling is being carried out from urban to rural and from lowland to highland areas. In rural areas which the programme operation has not covered, the Government pursued a policy of entrusting local administrations to authorise the use of land to people so that they can work on the land for their living and look after the forest in accordance with the Government’s policy.

Fourth, in respect of women with disabilities, the Government has also pursued a policy of promotion of their rights. The Government has established the National Commission for persons with disabilities, approved the establishment of the Association of Disabled Persons, established Vocational Training Centres for people with disabilities in the country (one in Luang Prabang, one in Savannaket, one in Champasak and two in the Capital), one among which is for women with disabilities. The Government has also managed to have a rehabilitation centre for the disabled. The Government takes the responsibility for the basic living needs of women who have been disabled by their involvement in battle fields or serving in the national struggle. Their families will be responsible for their additional needs. In respect of children with disabilities, the Ministry of Education has created learning and teaching programme for mixed students between normal children and children with disabilities. There is also a project at a Rehabilitation Centre which deals with the care for and providing education for people with disabilities.

Despite these efforts, the Government is encountering difficulties in respect of taking care of people with disabilities who live in remote rural areas. Elderly women and women in remote rural areas without road access are facing difficult problems: they cannot help themselves when they get sick and lack resources for making their living. Women with disabilities have difficulties to move around because of lack of facilities to assist namely sticks, wheel chairs and so on.

27. Taking into account Security Council r esolution 1325 (2000) , please indicate whether both women and men war veterans have benefited from equal recognition and rehabilitation, including m edical care.

To this question the Government has the following explanation:

Women who had joined the national revolution from 1954 to 1975 enjoy the benefits provided by the decree No.343/PM of 25 September 2007, under which the State shall provide land, houses, or fund a part of building or fixing houses and vehicles for people falling in the category mentioned above. Besides this, the Government has also collaborated with the Veteran Association to implement a project dealing with the care of and assistance to elderly women. The Decree mentioned above applies equally to all persons in these categories without any discrimination as to ethnic origins or other prohibited discrimination; but according to their works and services in the course of revolutionary struggle.

The Government has also issued another Decree No 70/PM on the state social insurance Regime. According to Decree, the members of the State social insurance regime shall benefit from it. For example, they may receive treatment, health rehabilitation, artificial organs such as sticks, wheel chairs, transportation fees, and other things. These are provided for free to them by the Government. Besides, they shall be treated equally like other government officials.

Regarding the special disabled persons, the government has special treatment such as providing new houses one story villa with two bedrooms equipped with sitting room, kitchen and bathroom, one house for each person, and one caretaker paid by the State.

Marriage and family relations

28. According to the report, article 17 of the Law on the Development and Protection of Women provides that m en and w omen have the right to marry at 18 years of age , and that, i n special and necessary cases, th e limit may be lowered to less than 18 years of age , but not less than 15 years of age. In its previous concluding comments, the Committee recommended that the S tate party should prohibit under - age marriage in all circumstances (see para. 38) . Please indicate any steps taken to raise the minimum age of marriage for both boys and girls to 18 years in order to bring it in line with article 16 of the Convention, and the Committee ’ s general recommendation No. 21, and whether a timetable has been established for enacting such an amendment. Furthermore, please inform the Committee of the extent of the practice mia noi ( m inor wife) in the S tate party, despite poly gamy being formally prohibited.

On marriage and family relations, the Government agency concerned has the following explanation that Article 17 of the Law on the Development and Protection of Women does not have provision dealing with such special circumstances whereas the Family Law No. 07/90 ISPA of 29 November 1990does have provisions dealing with such special situation. The 2008 amended family Law, No. 05/NA of 26 July 2008 repeals the provisions regarding this special situation so as to be in line with Article 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of all Focus of Discrimination Against Women. Regarding the question of mistress or so-called minor wife, it is illegal under Lao PDR’s Law.

Optional Protocol and the amendment of article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention

29. Please indicate any progress made towards ratification of or accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention and acceptance of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, as recommended by the Committee in its previous concluding observations (see para. 41).

In respect of the Optional Protocol, the Lao NCAW is considering the possibility of its participation in it; As to the amendment of Article 20, it is underthe consideration of technical experts whose findings would be submitted later.