Vietnamese Women: From 'Fire Keepers' to 'Creators'

In traditional Vietnamese society, women are often considered the guardians of family happiness, mothers and wives who are devoted to taking care of their children and nurturing their homes. But today, their roles have expanded significantly. Women are no longer limited to taking care of their families, but have become comprehensive family managers, contributing to promoting family cohesion and nurturing traditional values. The proportion of women participating in major family decisions about finances, children's education and future orientation is increasing, showing their deep involvement in building a solid foundation for the family.

Vietnamese women are the keepers of the family fire, and at the same time have positive contributions in many fields, contributing to the cause of nation building.

It is worth noting that women today know how to divide their time and take advantage of modern technology to effectively manage their families while still developing their personal careers. Applications such as online education, financial management and other family support tools have helped women to both play a good role as coordinators, maintain family happiness and make positive contributions to society. In addition, in many modern families, husbands have been understanding and sharing household chores with their wives, thereby creating conditions for women to have more time to take care of themselves, improve themselves and contribute to society. Not only stopping at the role of mother and wife, Vietnamese women also affirm their great role in all areas of life. In the history of building and defending the country, the images of female heroes such as Ba Trung, Ba Trieu…, later Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Vo Thi Sau, Nguyen Thi Dinh… have become symbols of the courage and resilience of Vietnamese women. They not only contributed to the struggle for national liberation, but also pioneered in building and protecting peace.

Many women participate in the military, armed forces, and peacekeeping forces.

In modern times, with the attention and facilitation of the Party and the State, Vietnamese women have increasingly promoted their role and position in society. In the political field, the percentage of female deputies to the 15th National Assembly reached 30.26% - higher than the world and regional average, ranking first in the Inter-Parliamentary Union Council of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The presence of women in leadership positions not only contributes to promoting gender equality policies, protecting the rights of women and children, but also makes important decisions for the sustainable development of the country. In the economic field, many women have become successful business leaders, making their mark in the domestic and foreign markets. According to the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE) published in 2020, in Vietnam, women own 26.5% of all businesses, a relatively high rate compared to other countries in the region such as Thailand (23%), Indonesia (21%) and Singapore (24%). According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in the period 2012 - 2022, the number of businesses owned by women has continuously increased at a rate of at least 2%/year, higher than the average growth rate of the business sector. Vietnam is currently one of the markets with the most effective network of women businesses in ASEAN.

Women are increasingly participating in businesses, many of whom have become successful business leaders, making their mark in the domestic and foreign markets.

Recently, the American magazine Fortune has just announced the list of "Asia's Most Powerful Women in 2024", including 100 leading women representing many different fields such as finance, energy, transportation, food and beverage, and hotel services..., including 3 Vietnamese businesswomen, including: Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of VietJet Air Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao ranked 66th, General Director of Sacombank Nguyen Duc Thach Diem ranked 71st and General Director of Vinamilk Mai Kieu Lien ranked 75th. According to Fortune magazine, the ranking of 100 most powerful women in Asia honors women who are redefining the concept of leadership by transforming companies, changing the face of industries and driving growth, innovation and quality in business, while inspiring the next generation of leaders. Successful women in business have inspired the younger generation, especially women, to stand out in the competitive business world. In addition, the increasing participation of women in professions that were traditionally considered “men’s fields” such as engineering, technology and senior management has changed traditional social perceptions. The rise of women in these positions is not only the result of individual efforts but also a testament to their limitless potential.

Vietnamese women make great contributions in the fields of health and education.

Vietnamese women also make great contributions in the fields of health and education, two fields that play an important role in building and developing society. In health, many female doctors, nurses and scientists have made significant contributions to developing health care methods and protecting the lives of millions of people. In particular, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the image of resilient and brave female doctors and nurses has become a symbol of compassion and responsibility to the community. In the field of education, women are also pioneers in training and developing future generations. Many female teachers and lecturers not only impart knowledge but also inspire and help students develop both intellectually and morally. According to the Ministry of Education and Training, women make up the majority of the teaching force in Vietnam and their contributions to improving the quality of national education are undeniable. The achievements that women have made in all fields not only help to improve their status but also contribute significantly to the overall development of the country.

In order to fulfill their roles well in both family and society, in addition to the efforts of women themselves, there is the concern and support of the Party, the State and the whole society. The policies of the Party and the State always attach importance to the role of women, and at the same time introduce many measures and programs to create favorable conditions for women to maximize their potential. Over the past decades, many national policies on gender equality have been issued and effectively implemented. The Law on Gender Equality (2006) is an important milestone in affirming the rights and responsibilities of women, creating conditions for them to participate equally in all areas of life. In particular, the National Strategy on Gender Equality for the period 2021 - 2030 has set specific goals to increase the rate of women participating in economic, political and social fields, ensuring the comprehensive and equal participation of women in national strategic decisions.

Many women have risen to assert themselves in many fields.

This concern is not only at the policy level but is also concretized in socio-economic development support programs specifically for women. Organizations such as the Vietnam Women's Union and the Women's Support Fund have been implementing many activities, from financial support for women to start businesses, providing skills training programs, to creating favorable conditions for women to access development resources, especially in remote areas. According to statistics, financial support programs have helped thousands of women escape poverty, become economic masters and build prosperous families. In addition, the Party and State always pay attention to protecting women's rights, especially in combating domestic violence, sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination. Propaganda campaigns and psychological and legal support programs for women have been widely implemented. A typical example is the program “Elimination of violence against women and children in Vietnam 2021-2025” implemented by Vietnam in coordination with international organizations. The program has raised social awareness of women’s rights, while creating practical support mechanisms to protect women from violence and abuse.

The development of medical services and health care specifically for women has also been promoted. Reproductive health care programs and nutritional support for mothers and children have significantly improved the quality of life of women, especially in rural and mountainous areas. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized Vietnam as one of the countries with rapid progress in health care for women and children, with maternal and infant mortality rates decreasing significantly over the past two decades. Along with development policies and programs, social attention to women has also been increasingly enhanced. Changes in social views on the role of women, from the traditional "fire-keeper" in the family to outstanding leaders at work, have given women the opportunity to develop themselves and assert their position. The community's encouragement and support for women has created a favorable environment for them to continue to develop their abilities and creativity.

The Vietnam Women's Union organized the Vietnam Women's Awards Ceremony and the National Finals of the "Women's Creative Startup and Green Transformation" Competition in 2024.

The comprehensive attention of the Party, State and society has not only helped Vietnamese women develop personally but also contributed to raising the national position in the context of globalization. Women are not only beneficiaries of policies but also creators, contributing to building and developing an increasingly sustainable society. However, it cannot be denied that women are still facing many challenges, especially the issue of gender equality. In some areas, women still do not have the same opportunities and rights as men. The pressure from the dual role of work and family is also a major barrier for many women, when they have to strive to balance work and family. In addition, the negative aspects of society such as domestic violence, prostitution, trafficking of women and children, etc. are also posing great difficulties and challenges for women and women's work. The Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress affirmed: “Promoting the tradition, potential, strengths, and spirit of mastery and aspirations of women of all classes. Building Vietnamese women of the new era…”. In the coming time, Vietnam will focus on effectively implementing the National Strategy on Gender Equality for the 2021-2030 period; National Target Programs related to women's work and gender equality; continuing to research and perfect the system of policies and laws on gender equality and prevention and response to gender-based violence; paying more attention to the planning of female cadres for leadership and management at all levels; at the same time, creating an environment and conditions to promote the role of female intellectuals...

At the first Nguyen Thi Dinh Award Ceremony and commendation of the exemplary District Women's Union Chairwoman in 2024, Politburo member, Party Central Committee Secretary, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien affirmed that in all periods, women have made worthy contributions to the cause of national liberation struggle, national construction and defense. The Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front suggested that in the coming time, all levels of the Union should continue to review and supplement practical action programs suitable for each Union organization, improve the substance of the Union's activities towards the grassroots, and make the highest efforts to excellently complete the goals and tasks of each quarter, each year and the entire term. At the same time, proactively train, foster, improve the qualifications and skills of mass mobilization work for Women's Union officials at all levels, especially the ability to handle situations arising in practice; attracting women nationwide to build and spread the image of Vietnamese women in the new era: "Intellectual, moral, healthy, responsible for themselves, their families, their communities and their country". Thus, by performing well from the role of "keeping the fire" in the family to leadership positions in society, Vietnamese women have been proving their abilities in all fields. The achievements that women have achieved today cannot be separated from the attention and facilitation of the Party, the State and society. With this companionship and support, Vietnamese women will continue to go further, constantly develop and assert themselves on the path to building a fair and prosperous country.