H.E. Dr. ING Kantha Phavi serves as Minister of Women’s Affairs and Chairwoman of the Cambodian
National Council for Women, roles she has held with distinction since 2004. Reappointed in August
2023,
she continues to champion women’s empowerment, gender equality, and inclusive development in Cambodia
and across the region. Under her leadership, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs has institutionalized
gender mainstreaming at national and subnational levels, with key milestones including laws addressing
domestic violence and human trafficking, and the promotion of women’s economic empowerment and
leadership.
Dr. ING is widely recognized for her regional and global advocacy, representing Cambodia at
International Economic Forums, ASEAN, and the United Nations platforms. She was named among APEC’s
“Most
Outstanding Women” in 2014, led and contributed to initiatives that earned Cambodia the Global Summit
of
Women 2024 Roundtable Ministerial Award, 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Care Economy Recognition Award in
2024, and Care Policy Ecosystem award in 2024.
Prior to her public service, Dr. ING practiced medicine and led pharmaceutical research projects in
France. She holds a Doctorate of Medicine from Université Paris VI, and a Brevet in Public
Administration from the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA), Paris. Dr. ING also completed the
Executive Leadership Programme at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.