LuxDev Laos spotlighted access to justice for women and girls on International Women’s Day

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the LuxDev team in Lao PDR celebrated International Women’s Day 2026 with a virtual event held under the global theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.” The event highlighted the significant progress that has been made toward gender equality, as well as the continued efforts required to ensure justice, protection and equal rights for every woman and girl across the country.

Opening the ceremony, Robert DE WAHA, regional representative of the LuxDev Asia Office, emphasised the importance of the occasion.

The event was then led by Inleusa BASENGKHAM, gender adviser, together with the Rule of law, access to justice and good governance (ROLAG) programme team. As part of the programme, Viphaphet S. PHAPMISAI from the Ministry of Justice delivered a presentation on “Enhancing access to justice for women and children, including victims of violence, persons with disabilities, and victims of human trafficking.” Her contribution highlighted the meaningful impact of ongoing work to strengthen rights, expand opportunities and reinforce protection systems for women and girls in the Lao PDR.

The event highlighted that access to justice begins with knowledge. When women understand their legal rights, they are better positioned to seek protection, pursue remedies and make informed decisions about their lives. Strengthening legal awareness and expanding access to legal aid were emphasised as critical tools to empower women, especially those in vulnerable circumstances.

LuxDev continues to champion these efforts through the ROLAG programme, implemented in partnership with the government of the Lao PDR. Key collaborators include the Ministry of Justice, the Lao Bar Association and authorities across five partner provinces. The programme focuses on:

• enhancing legal awareness among communities;
• expanding and improving legal aid services;
• strengthening justice mechanisms at local levels;
• ensuring that justice is accessible in practice, not only in principle.

These efforts reflect LuxDev’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that every woman, regardless of location or circumstance, can access fair, inclusive and responsive justice services.

A central component of the ROLAG programme is its targeted support for:

• survivors of domestic violence;
• victims of human trafficking;
• persons with disabilities;
• girls and young women;
• individuals from marginalised or remote communities.

Beyond legal information, the programme provides pathways to protection, assistance, legal representation and institutional support, enabling survivors to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.

LuxDev reaffirmed its dedication to working alongside national partners, civil society and communities to advance women’s rights and strengthen justice institutions in the Lao PDR.

As the event concluded, participants collectively called for continued action to build a society where every woman can live with dignity, confidence and equal access to justice.

The ROLAG programme is financed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and jointly implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Justice, LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency, ILSTA and the University of Luxembourg.