US first lady's visit sends strong message to Cambodian girls

U..S First lady Michelle Obama arrived here Friday night to promote girls' education in Cambodia where the illiteracy rate among females is far higher than males.
The U.S. first lady was welcomed by Bun Rany, wife of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, and Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron, along with other dignitaries. "The Royal Government of Cambodia wishes to cordially welcome her visit and hopes the important visit will also strengthen a bond of friendship and cooperation between Cambodia and the United States," the Cambodian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Michelle's visit to Cambodia aims to promote her new "Let Girls Learn" global education initiative to Cambodian girls, according to a statement from the White House.
During her three-day visit in Siem Reap province, the home of the UNESCO-listed world heritage Angkor Wat Temple, Michelle and Bun Rany will hold a first ladies' dialogue before meeting with Cambodian high school students.
Then, the first lady will deliver a speech to Peace Corps Volunteers participating in a girls education training event that is part of "Let Girls Learn" initiative, the statement said.
Finally, the first lady will visit Angkor Wat Temple.
Michelle is the "first sitting first lady to ever visit Cambodia", Evan Medeiros, senior director for Asian Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, said in the statement, adding that Jacqueline Kennedy and Hillary Clinton visited Cambodia previously, but not while they were the first ladies.
The first lady's cultural tour to this Southeast Asian nation will send a strong message to girls to focus on schooling.
According to UNESCO, literacy rate among females in Cambodia is much lower than males, with 85.1 percent of males being literate, compared to only 70.9 percent of females.
The "Let Girls Learn" initiative, launched by the first lady earlier this month, aims at reducing the number of girls -- more than 62 million girls worldwide and half of them adolescents -- who do not attend school.
The effort will use the Peace Corps, a U.S.-funded volunteer development agency, to help expand access to schooling for girls.
"Cambodia is one of the 11 countries in which we are going to implement 'Let Girls Learn'," said Medeiros. The other countries are: Albania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Georgia, Ghana, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Togo, and Uganda.
"Cambodia has created the space needed for community-led programs, and so it's a natural country in which we want to work with to bring about progress under the 'Let Girls Learn' initiative," he said.
"And from our perspective, we believe that Cambodia and our partners on the ground will be able to use this initiative to continue shining a light on the virtue of girls' education."
U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia William Todd said Michelle's desire to visit Cambodia is indeed noteworthy and demonstrates the high regard that the United States has for the Cambodian people.
"Since becoming first lady, Mrs. Obama has gained worldwide recognition as a strong advocate for improvements in education, health, and equal rights for women and girls," he said in his blog. "Just like all nations, including the United States, Cambodia's future hinges on what is being done to guarantee quality education, equal access, and opportunity for women and girls."
Cambodia is Michelle's second leg of a two-Asian nation trip, the first of which saw her visit to Japan, a partner in the "Let Girls Learn" initiative.