Background
As the government agency mandated for labor policy, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) convened stakeholders to close the 5th Gender Equality Forum and align workforce development with national priorities. The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) administers national policies on employment, occupational safety and health, and vocational training.
The forum addressed the intersection of gender equality, women’s economic empowerment and decent work, with particular emphasis on the garments, footwear and travel goods (GFT) sector and on skills upgrades tied to technological change. Cambodia expects to exit Least Developed Country (LDC) classification in December 2029.
MLVT highlighted occupational safety and health (OSH), prevention of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH), social protection and measures to boost women’s leadership and technical skills as concrete elements for improving workplace standards and competitiveness under the Ministry’s 2024–2028 strategy.
Institutional Role
MLVT positioned the forum as part of its mandate to translate multi-stakeholder dialogue into operational measures that strengthen employment conditions and workplace safety. The ministry linked the forum’s objectives to its national strategy for labour sector development (2024–2028), including priorities on OSH, institutional modernization and international cooperation.
Key Developments
The closing ceremony on 22 September 2026 at the Sun & Moon Hotel, Phnom Penh, brought together government ministries, development partners, private sector representatives, civil society and worker delegates to focus on actionable steps toward gender equality. Speakers underscored priorities such as reskilling, upskilling, digital literacy and incorporation of artificial intelligence competencies for women workers in the GFT supply chain.
Operational Implications
Stakeholders were urged to strengthen workplace safety, expand training programs for reskilling and upskilling, and adopt policies to prevent GBVH as part of creating equitable employment environments. MLVT framed these measures as necessary to support enterprise competitiveness and to help workers capture benefits from changing international market requirements as Cambodia approaches LDC graduation.
