Laos is a landlocked country bordered by Thailand, Vietnam, China, Myanmar and Cambodia. Despite steady growth in Southeast Asia, Laos remains one of the least developed countries in the region, with a largely rural population. Gender equality remains one of the country’s most pressing development challenges, but momentum for change is building through projects supporting female empowerment in Laos.

History of Gender Inequality

While Laos ranks 137 out of 189 on the Human Development Index, it improves on the Gender Inequality Index, ranking 113 out of 162 countries. The Global Gender Gap Report places Laos 36 out of 156 in 2021, yet the country falls to 112th for education, revealing how uneven progress can be.

On the legislative side, the picture of female empowerment in Laos looks more promising. The World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law index scores Laos at 88.1 out of 100, above the regional average. However, legal frameworks do not always translate into lived equality. Women earn only 77% of men’s average monthly income and are far more likely to work as unpaid family laborers. Although women own 43% of businesses partly or fully, most still operate in the informal work economy, where there is limited social protection. Further, women work 1.3 hours longer per day than men on average.

The representation of women in Lao politics tells a similar story. Women hold only 21.9% of seats in the National Assembly, a decline from 27.5%, and fewer than 3% of village chiefs in rural areas are women. Culturally, early marriage remains widespread, with one-third of Lao women marrying before the age of 18 and one-tenth before the age of 15. More concerning, 30.3% of ever-partnered women have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence, with almost half of survivors not reporting abuse due to stigma and fear.

The 2018 Global Slavery Index found that approximately 62,000 people live in modern slavery across Laos, with traffickers moving 90% of victims between Laos and Thailand, where girls ages 12 to 18 make up the majority of cases. Laos has passed several laws aimed at supporting female empowerment, including the 2014 Law on Preventing and Combatting Violence Against Women and Children and the 2019 Law on Gender Equality. However, gaps still persist, and this is where on-the-ground projects become essential.

Projects Supporting Female Empowerment in Laos

One forward-looking initiative advancing female empowerment in Laos is the Women’s Economic Inclusion through E-Commerce project. Developed in partnership with the Institute of Industry and Commerce, the project embeds gender equality, disability and social inclusion principles into digital trade. In a country where women remain concentrated in informal, low-skill work, access to digital markets can be transformative. The project has already trained 64 women across Laos in online selling and customer engagement, tackling both the symptoms and root causes of women’s economic exclusion.

Launched in November 2025, backed by the Australian government and implemented by U.N. Women and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), WE RISE TOGETHER 2.0 is a four-year regional initiative that focuses on the power of community by supporting women’s economic empowerment. In many parts of rural Laos, women rely on informal networks for support and advice. This initiative strengthens those networks by bringing women together to share knowledge, build confidence and collectively address local challenges. WE RISE TOGETHER 1.0 achieved considerable success, training 467 women-owned businesses in Vietnam alone, and the second program continues to build on that momentum.

In January 2026, the Lao Women’s Union and The Asia Foundation launched the project titled “Strengthening the LWU in Amplifying the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security.” This forms part of The Asia Foundation’s broader regional AMPLIFY program, operating across 80 villages in eight districts across Bokeo and Savannakhet provinces. It aims to promote women’s leadership in conflict prevention and resolution, strengthen village-level conflict resolution committees and security units and support research and knowledge generation.

Action Education launched the GEVEE project in 2023, aiming to boost entrepreneurship and employment for women, particularly those from ethnic minorities. The program uses vocational training, entrepreneurial education, small grants and mentoring workshops. So far, the GEVEE project has reached 986 women from rural and ethnic backgrounds, including 116 secondary school girls. GEVEE’s three-year cycle demonstrates that long-term sustained support can transform entire communities.

Finally, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) has been empowering women in political leadership roles. Between February 2024 and April 2025, WFD ran the program “Strengthening parliamentary oversight and promoting women’s political leadership in Laos,” working to increase the capacity of women representatives at the national level. WFD also recently ran “CEGGA II Extension Program – Strengthening Accountability in Laos,” which supported female candidates in the election earlier this year. Women subsequently increased their share of seats to 29.7%, up from 21.9% in 2021.

Looking Ahead

While women in Laos face inequality and economic obstacles, these projects are giving women access to skills, platforms and opportunities. Legal frameworks provide a foundation, but the collective action of these initiatives drives real change. With continued investment and community-focused action, Laos is moving steadily toward a more equal future.

– Helen Turnbull

Helen is based in Cardiff, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr