(VOVworld) Vietnamese women have played an important role in the history of national construction and defence. Empowering women and taking better care of them are major tasks of women unions in all revolutionary periods, particularly during the current renewal process. As the National Women’s Congress opens on Monday in Hanoi, VOV reporter Thu Hang looks at efforts to enable Vietnamese women to develop themselves and contribute more to society.  

 

 

Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong presents banner "Vietnamese women: solidarity, creativity, intergation, development"

Over the past 5 years, Vietnamese women have been actively participating in national patriotic emulation movements and made great contributions to national achievements. Women’s Union at different levels have constantly reformed their working methods, launched numerous emulation movements and programs on poverty reduction. These campaigns have attracted the participation of a large number of Union members and the community. Hoang Thi Ai Nhien, Vice Chairperson of the Vietnam Women’ Union, told us: “Over the past 5 years, the Union has focused on assisting women in poverty reduction. We have also launched such programs to promote women’s creativity, build a happy family, and follow Ho Chi Minh’s moral example. In addition, the Union has helped female researchers set up their own associations, piloted the operation of Women’s Unions in private enterprises, and established clubs of house renters, who will rally female workers in industrial zones. There are now 15 million members in the Vietnam Women’s Union.

Women of working age account for nearly half of the total rural population of Vietnam. In the recent past, the Union has worked to protect the rights of rural and ethnic women. More than 2 million poor women have been provided with loans and each year, more than 3 million more are given technical support to escape poverty. Women are encouraged to get involved in social activities. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women’s Union, said priority will be given to poverty reduction in the next 5 years: “We will continue to organize such activities as raising funds for rural women by encouraging our members to save money. Loans will also come from the government’s 5 million USD fund, and from international organizations. We will help to improve women’s skills and knowledge, including women from remote areas and areas inhabited by ethnic minority people.

At a recent dialogue with the UN in Hanoi, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen discussed Vietnam’s national strategy on gender equality in until 2015. She said the Party and State have adopted policies and programs related to gender equality and have incorporated the issue into new laws: “Vietnam has been recognized by the UN as having the fastest rate of gender gap eradication in Southeast Asia for 20 years. Women account for 24.4% of Vietnam’s Members of Parliament, 2^nd highest in 8 ASEAN members. Efforts will be made to enhance the role of rural women in poverty reduction and economic development, while policies will be worked out to make an evident change in gender equality.”

The 11^th National Women’s Congress aims to mobilize women’s participation in policy making to guarantee their legitimate rights. This year, the first year of implementing the Congress’s resolution, preparations will be made for the national strategy on family and women employment program until 2017.

 

Thu Hang