VIENTIANE, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Laos' Ministry of Education and Sports and development partners have reaffirmed their commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of adolescent girls.

Speaking at an event to mark the International Day of the Girl Child, Lao Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Kingmano Phommahaxay emphasized the importance of empowering young women, noting that Laos faces one of the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in the region.

The adolescent birth rate has increased from 83 per 1,000 in 2017 to 89 per 1,000 in 2023, while the percentage of girls aged 15-19 who are married or in union rose from 23.5 percent to 26.5 percent during the same period.

Kingmano called for government policies to include young women in national development plans of the Southeast Asian country.

The event was held in Vientiane on Tuesday and brought together Lao officials and key stakeholders. The International Day of the Girl Child is observed on Oct. 11 around the world.

In his speech, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) representative in Laos Bakhtiyor Kadyrov stressed the importance of investing in adolescent girls, saying, "Empowering adolescent girls not only benefits them but also strengthens the future of the country."

He highlighted the need for continued efforts to equip girls with life skills and ensure their access to health care, education, and employment opportunities.

The event also provided a platform to review progress toward the goals of the Noi 2030 Framework, which is a road map for the Lao government and partners to work together on the empowerment of Lao girls aged 10-19 so that they will unleash their full potential by 2030.

Efforts to address adolescent pregnancy and child marriage were central to the discussions, with participants pledging to strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration and advocating for adolescent-centered programming. Enditem

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