Human Rights Party says women to account for three percent of candidates in commune elections, other parties vague

PHNOM PENH (Herald) – Women account for three percent of the candidates and seven percent of the reserve candidates the opposition Human Rights Party plans to field in commune council elections in June, Secretary General Yem Bunharith told a news conference Wednesday.

Other parties attending the news conference were more vague about their commitment to field women candidates.

Kim Nat Sim, a representative of the Sam Rainsy Party, the main opposition grouping in the National Assembly, said her party had a policy to urge greater political involvement by women and young people.

“The party is focusing mainly on migrant women who have usually been abused,” she said.

Phan Sothy, a representative of Funcinpec, said 10 percent of the royalist party's committee of directors were women while 
the Norodom Ranarridh Party said it planned to field "many" women candidates in the commune election.

Kol Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (Comfrel), said most political parties did not have a clear policy on selecting candidates and that selections would depend on national leaders.

“Up to now, we don't known the specific number of women candidates prepared to engage in the upcoming election," he said.

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