Phnom Penh: Ms. Lor Kheng, Chairwoman of the 8th Committee of the National Assembly, Vice President of the Cambodian Parliamentarians’ Association for People and Development (CAPPD), and Vice President of the Asian Parliamentarians’ Forum on People and Development (AFPPD), participated in the adoption of the “Melbourne Declaration” to strengthen reproductive health rights and gender equality at a high-level forum between ministers and parliamentarians.
This approval was made on April 27, 2026. The forum is a leadership-level gathering of nearly 100 parliamentarians and ministers from various countries to connect leadership roles between the legislative and executive branches of government to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, which are essential foundations for gender equality and social justice.
In this important discussion, the forum The conference focused on three major priorities: legislative and budgetary roles: strengthening the role of parliamentarians in formulating laws, policies and approving national budgets for the purpose; regional cooperation: promoting multi-stakeholder parliamentary mechanisms to respond to global challenges and exchanging practical experiences between countries such as Fiji, Timor-Leste, Nauru, Tonga and Australia; and operational strategies: translating commitments made in international forums into concrete actions in national policies after the conference.
As a formal outcome of the Forum, the Assembly adopted the “Melbourne Declaration” on Achieving Demographic Resilience, a major achievement document that reaffirms the shared commitment of countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the world to ensure that all individuals enjoy the full right to health.
It should be noted that the opening ceremony of the forum was attended by many high-ranking dignitaries, including the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, the Executive Director of UNFPA, and the Director-General of IPPF. After the forum, Ms. Lok Kheng and the executive committee will continue to participate in the official opening ceremony of the Women Deliver 2026 conference, one of the largest women’s forums in the world.
