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MAG Chief Executive Lou McGrath spoke of "a genuine move to redress the gender balance" in the UXO sector. |
Employing more women as part of the UXO clearance process would benefit communities, according to Lou McGrath, MAG’s Chief Executive.
“If [the UXO sector is] really aiming to serve communities then we must make every effort to ensure we understand the activities of both men and women…and what their clearance priorities are,” said Mr McGrath, speaking at a lecture given on July 16th in Lao PDR.
The lecture, titled ‘Ladies first – why the UXO sector should employ more women’, was attended by government officials, donors and other organisations working in the sector.
Ensuring that communities get the maximum benefit from the UXO clearance process requires sufficient female staff able to encourage women to participate, he said.
Employing women to undertake the actual clearance work also proves that women can do the work just as well as men.
Mr McGrath also said that efforts by the UXO sector to increase the number of female employees “should not be seen as a token gesture but rather as a genuine move to redress the gender balance”.
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Lou (right) with MAG Lao Country Programme Manager David Hayter. |
Such efforts would support the Lao government’s National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy, which lists gender equity as a key priority.
During visit, Mr McGrath met with a number of senior officials and diplomats, and visited the MAG teams working in Khammouane province.
He first came to Lao PDR in 1993, the year before MAG began working in Xieng Khouang province. MAG was the first international organisation invited to undertake UXO clearance work in the country.
Earlier this year Mr McGrath received the award of Order of the British Empire (OBE) from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, for his services to international mine clearance.
Links:
» Why does MAG work in Lao PDR?
» About MAG's work in Lao PDR
MAG's work in Lao PDR is currently funded by: AusAID; DFID (UK Department for International Development); Irish Aid; The Humpty Dumpty Institute; Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF); Jersey Overseas Aid; USDA (United States Department of Agriculture); US Department of State.
17 July 08
