DPC organizes Workshop on Gender and Trade and Gender Mainstreaming at Project level – Strategic Action Plan for LCT Project

Vientiane Capital, 20 November 2020, the Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC), Ministry of Industry and Commerce organized the workshop on Gender and Trade and Gender Mainstreaming at Project Level – Strategic Action Plan for Lao Competitiveness and Trade Project (LCT) with more than 60 participants from the Implementation Agencies (IAs) within the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and other line ministries.

The workshop was co-chaired by Mr. Sengphanomchone Inthasane, the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Planning and Cooperation, and Ms. Sommaiy Phoummounivong, the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Organisation and Personnel, Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The workshop also invited instructors from the Gender Development Association (GDA) to provide training for the first half of the workshop.

Mr. Sengphanomchone Inthasane emphasized the objectives of the workshop that: “the workshop was the discussion forum to share knowledge and experience about gender issues in the society. Also, the presenters disseminate the Gender Strategic Action Plan for LCT project as well as discuss how to mainstream gender in each component of the project with all our Implementation Agencies whose work are relevant to the project.”

In addition, Ms. Sommaiy Phoummounivong, also stressed the importance of gender equality and the mainstreaming gender in trade and development sectors.
In the first half of the workshop, the instructors from GDA presented several topics, such as Gender Norms, Violence, Equality and Development. These topics aimed to raise the importance of gender in society. They will connect to how vital the Gender Strategic Action Plan for LCT project is, which was presented in the afternoon session of the workshop.

During the workshop, the instructors and participants openly discussed gender issues regarding the agenda of the workshop. In addition, the team building activities were organized to a better understanding of differences in gender perspectives between the project members and the IAs. Also, the participants contribute to the workshop assessment before the closing remark from the chairman. This will be the reference for improvement in the future workshops.

The workshop was supported by Lao Competitiveness and Trade Project (LCTP), which is funded by The World Bank Group, Australian Aid, Irish Aid, and USAID. The purpose of the project is to reduce and eradicate constraints of business growth by the technical and budget assistance to improve business environment as well as to improve the regulatory environment, lowering trade costs and raising firm-level competitiveness.