The Ministry of Education and Sports and Australia advance women’s leadership in education

The Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR (MoES), in partnership with Australia through the BEQUAL program, marked the Lao Women’s Union (LWU) establishment day with a public event and training activities held in Vientiane on 27 and 28 July 2026. The event was chaired by Dr Daravone Kittiphanh, Vice-Minister of Education and Sports and Ms Benita Sommerville, Deputy Ambassador of Australia, and brought together nearly 250 participants for the celebrations  including Directors General of MoES departments, LWU members, representatives from mass organisations and party institutions, media directors and journalists. Guests of honour included Ms Phasouk Vongvichit, Vice-President of Central Lao Women Union, Ms Mina Sivilay, Deputy Secretary General, Central Committee, Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union, Mr Savankhone Razmountry, President of the Lao Journalist Association, Former Vice-Minister of Information Culture and Tourism, Dr Phout Simmalavong, former Minister of Education and Sports and Ms Soutsachay Douangsavanh, President of MoES Women Union.

Dr Daravone highlighted the importance of collective action to promote gender equality and protect children. “Today’s event is a strong statement that gender equality and child protection are everyone’s responsibility. It must be part of our daily practice in schools, in our institutions, and in the way we work together for the future of our children. It reflects MoES’ commitment to turning policy into action through practical tools, stronger partnerships, and wider public awareness, and we are grateful for Australia’s continued support to these important priorities.”

Ms Benita Sommerville added “Australia is proud to stand alongside MoES in supporting child protection, gender equality, and the leadership of women in education. What makes this partnership so valuable is not only its long history, but the way we translate shared values into actions, through practical tools, training, communication, and collaboration that make a difference for schools and communities.”

The event showcased the important role women play in the education sector as thought leaders, decision makers, and agents of change. LWU leaders from MoES presented their strategy and five-year action plan and guided guests through an exhibition on the history of the LWU. The occasion also provided an important opportunity to put MoES’ new Women In Leadership (WIL) program into practice. Launched in May 2026 with Australia’s support, the WIL program is supporting a core group of LWU members from across MoES to strengthen GEDSI integration in the workplace through a training-of-trainers approach. Following the celebrations held in the morning of 23 July, 19 LWU members involved in the WIL program delivered training on gender equality and child protection to a broader group of 75 LWU members from across MoES.

Dr Daravone said “The Lao Women’s Union plays a vital role in ensuring that women’s voices, ideas, and leadership contribute to a more equitable and inclusive education sector. Through this event and the follow-up training, LWU members will work together with MoES’ Division for the Advancement of Women, Mothers and Children (DAWMC) to extend key messages on child protection and gender equality within their departments and professional networks.”

The Information Media Center, together with DAWMC, then presented the first public screening of MoES’ new child protection and safeguarding video. Based on the MoES Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Guidelines for Educators, which were launched in July 2024 with support from Australia, the video aims to make the guidance more practical and accessible for all education sector staff working directly with children. It presents the key “Do’s and Don’ts” of child protection, encourages reporting of suspicious behaviour or signs of abuse, and uses animation to communicate the message in a safe and appropriate way without showing harmful behaviour in real images.

Australia also handed over video and IT equipment valued at 37,662 AUD or 585,793,000 LAK to support the work of the MoES media team.

Ms Benita said “The role of the media is especially important in communicating about priorities such as foundational learning, inclusive education, gender equality, child protection, and other key development issues, especially for the most vulnerable children. This is why Australia is proud to support the work of the MoES media team through the handover of equipment today. We value the important role they play in shaping public understanding and helping change minds and attitudes. This is a practical investment in the Ministry’s ability to produce quality content and to share these key messages more widely.”

Following the PD event, the MoES central and sub-national media team, together with journalists from other media outlets, took part in training to strengthen their understanding of responsible reporting, child safeguarding, safe photography and filming of children, and gender-responsive communication. The training also highlighted the important role of media in influencing behaviour change and in disseminating messages that safe schools are essential for children’s wellbeing, participation, regular attendance, and learning. It was delivered by gender trainers from DAWMC and National University of Laos.

Dr Daravone concluded “Let us continue working together across MoES, the Lao Women’s Union, the media, and all our partners to turn guidance into practical action, build stronger awareness of gender equality, and create safer and more inclusive schools for all children.”

Ms Benita added “This event shows what strong partnership can achieve. Australia is pleased to support MoES efforts that bring women’s leadership, child protection, and gender equality together in one shared agenda for action.”