AKP Phnom Penh, April 13, 2025 -- 

During the 2025 World Summit of the Universal Peace Federation in Seoul, Hon. Lork Kheng, Chairwoman of the Commission on Public Health, Social Affairs, Veterans, Youth Rehabilitation, Labour, Vocational Training, and Women’s Affairs of the National Assembly of Cambodia, chaired the International Association of First Ladies for Peace (IAFLP): First Ladies Summit on April 13. 

Themed “Toward a Hopeful Future of Peace and Prosperity,” the summit aimed to highlight the critical role of women leaders in fostering global peace and prosperity. 

It emphasised promoting inclusive policies, addressing social inequalities, and advancing sustainable development. 

During the summit, Hon. Lork Kheng stated that “Women are not only participants; they are leaders and solution-makers, driving the positive changes needed for peace and prosperity.” 

Hon. Lork Kheng mentioned Cambodia’s history of overcoming decades of civil war, which has shaped its deeply profound understanding of peace as the foundation of harmony and prosperity. 

Cambodia remains committed to preserving, promoting, and cherishing peace, and shares the invaluable experiences of peace with nations in the region and beyond, she said. 

“Peace is the foundation of harmony and prosperity, and Cambodia remains committed to sharing its experiences to promote global solidarity and development,” emphasised Hon. Lork Kheng. 

Hon. Lork Kheng also highlighted that Cambodia hosted ASEAN in 2022 and contributed to adopting the Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace, and Security (RPA WPS), and led AIPA to adopt a resolution titled “Promoting the Role of Women Parliamentarians in Advancing Women, Peace, and Security.”  

The summit encouraged discussions on women’s roles in all fields to raise awareness of their participation in peace-building and security as it advocated creating networks of women leaders to enhance negotiation roles and developing national plans aligned with Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council 

The summit called for international resources and budgets to support programmes promoting women’s roles in advancing peace and security. “We stand together and strive for positive change,” it declared.  

The IAFLP: First Ladies Summit is part of the World Summit 2025 of the Universal Peace Federation, where Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, is leading a high-level delegation in the Republic of Korea until April 14. 

By Chea Vannak