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The ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) organized a Study Validation Workshop: Monitoring and Evaluation of Gender Equality and Inclusion in Mine Action on 28-29 November at Sunway Hotel Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The workshop also presented ongoing progress on the development and validated the findings of an upcoming study on the mine action sector’s approach towards monitoring and evaluation of gender and diversity across ASEAN countries mine action programmes. The workshop was organized to ensure that findings and recommendations presented in the draft version of the study are fit for the purpose of supporting mine action entities in their efforts to enhance gender equality and inclusion.
The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) was commissioned to develop and write the study. The workshop is one of the deliverables under the project “Strengthen Gender Equality and Empowerment in Mine Action in the Mine/ETW affected ASEAN Member States” which is funded by the Government of Italy through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo).
Over 30 participants from national mine action authorities, national and international demining operators attended the hybrid event.
On 2-3 August, ARMAC staff participated in a 2-day workshop organized by the Cambodian Mine Action Authority and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. The workshop aimed to strengthen the participants’ ability to mainstream gender and diversity considerations in their work. The workshop discussed concepts of gender norms and diversity in Cambodia, gender-age-disability data, and safeguarding awareness.
ARMAC supports an inclusive workplace and environment where women, men are given equal opportunities.
21-22 October 2019, Vientiane, Lao PDR– The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) alongside the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), with funding support from the Government of Canada through the Mission of Canada to ASEAN, and the Clearing for Results Project Cambodia, are pleased to launch the Regional Workshop on “Gender Equality and Empowerment in ASEAN Mine/Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) Action”.
Held over two days, the Regional Workshop gathers together all 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS), including those both affected and non-affected by landmines, unexploded ordinance or ERW, to share methods on how to include gender approaches and perspectives into their national mine/ERW action activities. Crucially, the Workshop is designed to enable the participants to analyse their work in mine/ERW action through a gender and diversity lens, assessing how mine/ERW action projects and programmes are implemented with a consideration of gender aspects, and making sure that the priorities and capabilities of women, girls, boys, men and diverse groups are highlighted, and their needs are met.
Leading an essential component of the Regional Workshop, the GICHD emphasised that such events are crucial for the mine/ERW action sector as “with increased gender and diversity awareness and knowledge acquired through information-sharing events and other outreach activities, mine/ERW action operators will hopefully have the capacity and the will to effectively mainstream gender and diversity into their planning and activities.”
Beyond offering the AMS capacity building on gender mainstreaming in mine/ERW action (including some other relevant activities), the Regional Workshop also provides a platform for ASEAN countries to share their experiences, best practices and lessons learnt on integrating gender into their work.
Speaking at the event, Ms. Dwi Prameswari, Technical Officer for Mine Action at ARMAC, reiterated that “the Regional Workshop affords an opportunity to bring greater attention to the importance of gender and diversity aspects in mine/ERW action and other relevant programmes. By considering the inclusiveness of gender, the community will benefit from greater impacts and increased sustainability in future programmes. Further, as the Workshop achieved a gender balance in participants, it was encouraging to see both men and women from the ASEAN Member States sharing their knowledge, expertise and experience, and learning from each other on how to optimise gender mainstreaming in mine/ERW action.”
Funding the Regional Workshop through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives for the second time, the Mission of Canada to ASEAN emphasizes Canada’s commitment in developing and implementing gender-responsive approach towards mine action, as it is aligned with Canada’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) for the period 2017-2022. Canada supports mine action as part of its international development assistance and remains firmly committed to advancing the goals of the Ottawa Convention (Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention) and to achieving a world free of landmines by 2025.
The ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center, the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) with funding support from the Government of Canada (Mission of Canada to ASEAN) and the Clearing for Results Project, is pleased to announce the Regional Workshop, “Gender Equality and Empowerment in ASEAN Mine/Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) Action” to be held 21-22 October 2019 in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
ARMAC, Lao PDR and Canada, along with other partners, are hosting the Regional Workshop with an aim to enhance ASEAN regional knowledge and cooperation on the issue of gender equality and empowerment. The Workshop aims:
▪️ To enhance participants’ knowledge on gender approaches and perspectives in Mine/ERW action programme activities including Mine/ERW clearance, Mine/ERW risk education and victim assistance.
▪️ To identify the challenges in implementing the gender approaches and perspectives; and recommend how to address these challenges
▪️ To share experiences and best practices on gender mainstreaming between ASEAN Member States.
To learn more about Canada’s contributions to ASEAN, visit the Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Website.
(ARMAC, 05 September 2019)