Poverty impacts women more severely than men

Poverty has impacted women more severely than men, the representatives of women's leadership from 22 countries have said in a joint statement.

The statement was released following a special workshop on women politicians held in Cambodia on Thursday, at which they said lack of access to and control over resources, lack of opportunities and lack of mobility were serious issues which impacted women more severely.

The "Workshop on women as politicians" which was held during the Sixth General Assembly of International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), focused on the roles of women as politicians and young politicians in the areas of economy, energy and environment, Xinhua reports.

Cambodia's minister of women's affairs Ing Kantha Phavi said that women were severely impacted because of lack of decision making power and that women in the formal sector such as services, manufacturing and lower rung positions were often subjected to "last to be hired and first to be fired".

The general theme adopted by most speakers was for the Asian countries' dire need to address the key issues to construct a road map for accelerating growth for a better tomorrow.