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| Vice President of Vietnam Women's Union Tran Lan Phuong received Ms. Caroline T. Nyamayemombe, August 8, 2023. (Source: Vietnam Women's Union) |
Vietnam is one of the countries that has achieved the Millennium Development Goals on gender equality and women’s empowerment the earliest. Vietnam is also striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, including promoting gender equality. How do you evaluate Vietnam’s efforts in promoting gender equality in recent years?
The Vietnamese government has maintained its momentum in promoting gender equality. Since the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we have seen Vietnam’s global ranking in gender equality rise from 83rd to 72nd out of 146 countries (2023 data from the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index). Vietnam’s improvements are reflected in four areas:
First, Vietnam continues to strengthen policies and laws on gender equality, such as the Law on Support for Small and Medium Enterprises (2017), the National Strategy and Program on Combating Gender-Based Violence (2021-2030), the revised Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control (2022), the revised Labor Law (2019), and recently the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
The second is women's political participation. In the 2021 elections, the proportion of female representatives in parliament increased to 30% - the highest since 1976, higher than the global average of 25%.
Third , women's labor participation is almost equal to that of men (72% for women compared to 82% for men).
Fourth, Vietnam surpassed its target on women's participation in contributing to peacekeeping operations.
Recently, Vietnam has made a strong commitment to the United Nations Women, Peace and Security Programme. How do you evaluate this effort of Vietnam?
Vietnam firmly supports multilateral cooperation and has demonstrated this through its role as a member of the United Nations and ASEAN.
On January 24, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang signed Decision No. 101/QD-TTg approving the National Action Program on Women, Peace and Security for the 2024-2030 period. This milestone not only demonstrates the recognition of the important role of women in achieving sustainable peace but also affirms Vietnam’s steadfast commitment to promoting the principle of gender equality globally. This reflects Vietnam’s strong partnership with the international community, facilitating a stronger, gender-inclusive approach to peace and security.
The participation of Vietnamese female soldiers in peacekeeping operations brings diverse perspectives and demonstrates invaluable skills before each mission.
I had the opportunity to meet three female officers who are part of Vietnam’s peacekeeping force and I was inspired by their stories of courage and resilience. I also admired how they easily connected with people in Africa when they were on duty in the Central African Republic and South Sudan. Building trust among women will contribute to peace in these countries.
As the world faces many uncertainties, the UN Secretary-General has called for more women leaders to be at the heart of peace negotiations and peacebuilding efforts. Vietnam's actions are showing that this call is in line with this.
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| The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN Women jointly organized a national consultation workshop on developing a national action plan on women, peace and security in Hanoi on November 6, 2023. (Source: VNA) |
Accompanying Vietnam in steps to ensure the rights of women and girls, could you please share the main projects that UN Women is implementing in Vietnam and the significance of these projects?
As the United Nations’ leading agency for gender equality and the advancement of women, UN Women has been working in Viet Nam for the past 14 years. Working with the Government of Viet Nam, UN Women believes that Viet Nam can achieve its vision of becoming a high-income country by 2045 and with net zero emissions by 2050, while eliminating discrimination against women and girls, promoting women’s rights and promoting gender equality.
UN Women's strategy for the period 2022-2026 is fully aligned with the Vietnam-United Nations Cooperation Framework (2022-2026) based on three priorities: Sustainable and gender-sensitive economic transformation; improving governance capacity, strengthening the rule of law, protecting and respecting human rights, gender equality, protecting people from all forms of violence and discrimination according to international standards; climate change, disaster risk reduction and resilience building, promoting circular economy, providing clean, renewable energy and sustainable management of natural resources.
UN Women works with ministries, sectors, civil society, private sector and development partners. UN Women’s programmes in Viet Nam include:
One is to conduct a national review of the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform and Action from a gender equality perspective, and update the gender equality law.
Second, the achievement of the first National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security demonstrates the tireless efforts of UN Women in Viet Nam. UN Women has supported Viet Nam wholeheartedly in the process of planning the NAP and achieving this important milestone. UN Women will continue to support Viet Nam to move further in implementing the NAP.
Third, address gender-based violence by providing technical assistance, supporting survivors, ensuring alignment with global standards and committing to leaving no one behind.
Fourth, promote women’s economic empowerment and their leadership role in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. UN Women advises on appropriate planning and resource allocation for promoting gender equality at the national level.
In addition, UN Women organizes communication campaigns and activities to reduce gender stereotypes with the aim of empowering all individuals, regardless of gender, to maximize their potential. With a multidimensional approach, UN emphasizes its commitment to creating a more equal and inclusive Vietnamese society.
| “Together, when we invest in ourselves and leverage our leadership, we will accelerate progress not just for women but for our entire country.” |
On the occasion of the 114th anniversary of International Women's Day (March 8), what message do you want to send to Vietnamese women?
On this special occasion, I would like to send my best wishes to each of you. This is a time to celebrate your incredible strength, resilience and achievements.
The theme for this year’s Women’s Day is “Investing in Women – Accelerating Progress” with a shared aspiration for a brighter future. Therefore, I hope you understand the following messages:
Commit to investing in yourself: Whether it's continuing your education or learning new skills, give yourself the opportunity to grow. Your growth not only enhances your own potential, but also contributes to the overall progress of your community.
Use your leadership to create change: Women have the power to drive positive change. I encourage you to use your leadership skills to spark change at home, at work, and in society. Our research shows that when there are more women in leadership, companies grow and society advances. Your leadership is a force for progress.
Together, when we invest in ourselves and harness our leadership, we will drive progress not only for women but for our country. Happy International Women's Day!
Thank you!
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