Number of Cambodian women university graduates remains low

The number of women graduated from institutions of higher education remained low in Cambodia due to absorption of garment workforce and poor living conditions, Minister of Women's Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi said Monday. "Last year, only one female student, or 0.09 percent, graduated with a doctorate degree, 469 women, or 24 percent, completed the master degree, and 687 women attended the bachelor degree study in universities," she said at an annual women's conference, which was presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen. The minister said barriers to female students' development included the absorption of workforce into garment factories, poor living conditions of families, and limited coverage of scholarships. In addition, the number of dormitories is not able to meet the need, she added. Cambodia has made remarkable progress in poverty reduction over the past few years. According to a World Bank report released last week, the poverty rate in Cambodia stood at 20.5 percent, involving 3 million people, as of 2011, which sharply dropped from 53 percent or 6.9 million people in 2004.