Vietnam engages in dialogue on gender equality

Vietnam participated in a dialogue held at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland on the elimination of discrimination against women and the promotion of gender equality on July 10.

The Committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the delegation of the Government of Vietnam jointly evaluated the implementation of the CEDAW in Vietnam.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep, head of the Vietnamese delegation, said Vietnam had made significant achievements in this field.

The country has improved its policies and legal framework; allocated financial resources to the implementation of relevant programmes and action plans; increased international cooperation; and called for the participation of non-governmental and social/political organisations in promoting gender equality and preventing discrimination against women, he said.

Concrete measures are enacted to stop gender prejudice, human trafficking and violence against women and girls, while upholding women’s rights in various fields, such as in education and training, the labour market, healthcare and civil rights, he noted.

The CEDAW Committee approved Vietnam’s combined 7th and 8th periodic report on the national implementation of the convention.

Diep confirmed that Vietnam would consider the committee’s recommendations thoroughly and take appropriate action.

CEDAW is one of the major human rights conventions under the United Nations, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1979.

Vietnam signed CEDAW in 1980 and ratified it one year later. Since then, the country has been actively implementing the stipulations of the convention as well as completing periodic reports and participating in dialogues with the CEDAW committee.-VNA