The Lao People's Democratic Republic is a 1-party state ruled by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. The President is elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term as head of state. With the approval of the National Assembly, the President appoints the Prime Minister and the 28-member Council of Ministers for 5-year terms. The Prime Minister heads the unicameral National Assembly, whose 115 deputies are elected by plurality vote. Elections were held in 2006, and the only political party permitted, the Lao Peoples' Revolutionary Party, won 113 of the 115 seats, while Independents won the other 2 seats. Women won 25 seats. There are Cabinet ministers and Deputies from ethnic minority groups. Elections are held on the basis of universal adult suffrage and a secret ballot. The President of the People's Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly.

All citizens are entitled to equal treatment under the law without regard to sex, social status, education, faith or ethnicity.

The independence of the judiciary is written in law, but government and party officials influence the courts, albeit to a lesser degree than in the past. Police corruption is a problem, and officers extract bribes from citizens with impunity. A surveillance system allows the government to monitor private communications, including electronic communications. An informal militia under military control operates in urban and rural areas to maintain public order and report to the police.

Public perception of corruption in the executive and judicial branches of the government is reported. Wages of all government officials are extremely low. The National Assembly has passed an anti-corruption law.

Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed, apart from restrictions on political comment. Criticism deemed harmful to the reputation of the government is forbidden. Domestic television and radio broadcasts are closely controlled, but foreign broadcasts are uncensored. All domestic Internet servers are controlled, and Internet access is blocked both to pornographic sites and to sites deemed critical of the government. Access to information and freedom of expression via the Internet is regulated for citizens. All Internet service providers submit reports and facilitate monitoring for the government. Increasingly, Internet cafes rather than personal computers are used for private correspondence.

Trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, is a problem. Laos is a country of origin and transit for trafficking. Economic emigration by persons aged 15 to 30 has increased, and the emigrants are not the most impoverished. Women are trafficked to China to marry Chinese men. An anti-trafficking police unit has been established.

Growing tolerance of homosexuality is reported, although social discrimination continues and is also evident in cases of HIV/AIDS. The government has conducted awareness campaigns to promote understanding toward HIV-positive people.

Education is tuition-free and compulsory to age 10. High fees for books and supplies put education out of the reach of many. A shortage of teachers in rural areas also prevents many children from attending school. Government statistics show a large drop in enrolment from primary school to secondary school. The rate of grade repetition in primary school is high. Female literacy is reported at 51%, while male literacy is at 70%.

A 3-year programme begins at age 3. At this level 18% of education is private. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 8%. There are 2,507 ECE teachers (99% female). The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 17 : 1.

Education is compulsory for ages 6 to 10. Primary school begins at age 6 and lasts 5 years. At this level 2% of education is private. The NER is 87% (46% female). Of students who enrol in Grade 1, 63% reach the last grade of primary school. 20% of students repeat grades. There are 28,150 primary teachers (45% female), of whom 97% are trained. The PTR is 31 : 1.

Secondary education begins at age 11 and lasts 6 years. At this level 1% of education is private. 4% of students in upper secondary education study in technical vocational programmes. The NER is 37%. 2% of students repeat grades. There are 14,257 secondary teachers, 8,950 (42% female) in lower secondary and 5,307 (42% female) in upper secondary schools, and 97% of them are trained. The PTR is 27 : 1 in lower secondary and 26 : 1 in upper secondary education.

33,780 students (38% female) study in tertiary institutions, for a Gross Enrolment Rate of 6%. At this level 22% of education is private. There are 1,463 Laotian students studying abroad, mainly in Vietnam (700), Japan (231), France (168), Australia (117) and the USA (65).

Legal protection against discrimination does not apply to persons with disabilities, for whom the only protection provided consists of regulations that lack the force of law. The practice of infanticide of children born with birth defects is discouraged but takes place. Since 1993 the Lao Ministry of Education has introduced inclusive education for disabled children in 18 provinces. Almost 400 schools are now involved in the programme's third stage of expansion.

Pilot projects have focused on increasing enrolment, retention and attendance at kindergarten and in primary grades; on providing training for teachers to work with special needs children; and on helping children with severe disabilities to attend the National Rehabilitation Centre and later return to their schools. The strategies have included improving the quality of teaching and the physical and social environment of classrooms, as well as developing links with communities. Enrolment, retention and attendance have improved among children with special needs, and grade repetition has decreased.

A plan to construct a facility to serve juvenile detainees has been opposed on the ground that juveniles in detention for narcotics offences or petty crimes should be provided treatment facilities close to home.

The law provides for asylum and the protection of stateless persons, but the country is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol. The government refused a request of the UNHCR to establish an office to monitor the re-integration of refugees who returned under a resettlement programme.

Minorities have legal protection against discrimination, but social discrimination persists. The government claims to encourage the preservation of minority cultures and traditions, but the inaccessibility of remote locations allows them little say in decisions affecting their lands and the allocation of natural resources. The government continues to relocate highland farmers of ethnic minorities to lowland areas in an attempt to end opium production. Resettled farmers work in rice farming and live in large communities that ignore traditional community structures.

Academic freedom is provided for in law but restricted in practice, though the restrictions have been relaxed in some areas. Curriculum is tightly controlled to ensure that studies will not raise questions about the political system. Private colleges have been given some latitude to allow teachers more freedom in their courses. Some academics conducting research face restrictions on travel and access to information. The government decides which state-employed academics obtain study grants.

Equal rights for women are legislated. Discrimination is illegal in marriage rights and inheritance rights. Traditional culture discriminates against women, but this occurs mostly among some hill tribes. Women have responsible positions in the civil service and in urban businesses. Their earning power is often higher than that of men.

Violence against women is now illegal. Domestic violence does not appear to be widespread. Sexual harassment is rarely reported.

The legal age for employment is 15. Within families children can do work that is not dangerous or difficult, but in industrial enterprises child labour is rare. Small numbers of underage girls are reported to work in garment factories. Enforcement of child labour laws is ineffective due to a lack of inspectors.

A large number of children are reported to be trafficked from Laos to Thailand to work as prostitutes, household help, factory labourers or drug couriers. NGOs are providing funds to build a shelter to house trafficking victims returning from Thailand. Funds will also be used to provide counselling and vocational training for young women who are returned to Laos. The majority of young people who go to work in Thailand do so because they cannot find work in Laos.

The Federation of Lao Trade Unions (FLTU) is linked to the governing party. Most of the 99,000 FLTU members work in the public sector. As state enterprises are privatised, the balance between government and private sector employees is changing. Subsistence farmers account for an estimated 85% of the work force. Collective bargaining is not permitted, and the government sets wages and conditions of employment for civil servants, as does management in the private sector. Strikes are not prohibited by law, but a ban on "destabilising demonstrations" makes strikes unlikely.

Forced labour is prohibited, except in time of war or national disaster. The daily minimum wage of US$0.40 (4 thousand kip) does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Civil servants are poorly paid. The work week is limited to 48 hours