Viet Nam Human Rights
The event was hosted by Ambassador of Canada, Ms. Ping Kitnikone and Head of UN Women Vietnam Office, Ms. Elisa Fernandez Saenz to commemorate the International Women’s Day 2018.
Photo for illustration
Vietnam has made impressive progress in economic growth, however, gains have not necessarily translated into greater gender equality for all, particularly for rural women and girls. Rural women and girls face intersecting inequalities in multiple domains, influenced largely by their generally more limited access to and control over land, resources, information and technology, as well as limited availability of public infrastructure and services to reduce and redistribute their unpaid domestic and care work.
While agriculture remains the employer of about half of the labor force in the country, it is where the gender earnings gap is most pronounced. Women are mostly involved in agriculture as unpaid family workers at the low end of the productivity spectrum. They are also especially affected by impacts of climate change.
According to Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam, Ms. Ping Kitnikone, we all have the responsibility to improve the condition for women and girls everywhere.
Ambassador of Canada to Vietnam, Ms. Ping Kitnikone
The participants agreed that the outcome recommendations of the reception on policy reform and future research to empower rural women and girls in the nation will be summarized and introduced to relevant stakeholders and oganizations.
Recommendations:
* Assess the impact of development interventions in rural areas, particularly to determine whether they are making meaningful changes to the lives of rural women and girls; and whether such interventions take gendered division of labor (paid and non-paid, productive and reproductive) in to consideration.
* Create enabling environment for rural women and girls and their organizations to fully and actively participate in the decisions, policies and institutions that affect their livelihoods, well-being and resilience. This includes supporting the effective participation, decision-making and leadership of rural women in enterprises, farmers’ organizations, producer cooperatives and other civil society organization.
* Strengthen resilience to climate change and environmental degradation, such as deforestation, desertification and loss of agricultural biodiversity by supporting rural women’s access to financing, natural resources, sustainable energy, technologies, information and social protection.
Ms. Elisa Fernandez said: “Women’s empowerment is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals means progress for all women, leaving no woman behind. At this crucial moment for rural women’s rights, it is time for duty bearers and men to stand by women, and support their equal participation and decision-making.”
Head of UN Women Vietnam Office, Ms. Elisa Fernandez Saenz
Men’s sharing of unpaid domestic and care work is paramount for women to being able to pursue opportunities and fulfill their potential. Greater accountability to implementation of gender equality commitments through gender-responsive policies and programs which look at the specific needs of rural women and girls is essential if for their self-realization and contribution to their families, communities, societies and the economy./.
All comments [ 9 ]
When we look back at the development of Vietnamese society, particularly economic development, women hold a key position, as they directly participate in the national labour force and in paid labour.
Vietnamese women play an increasingly important role in the nation’s development, especially at present and in the future.
women’s economic roles will be much more significant in the future as Viet Nam more deeply integrates into the world, while these industries continue to spearhead the economy.
I do hope policymakers in Viet Nam are aware of the role of Vietnamese women
Society should look at women through their contributions to the economy, rather than as something secondary besides men.
upon Viet Nam’s deeper integration into the world, if inequality still exists women will bear much heavier burdens.
The participation of women in Viet Nam’s labour force is quite high compared to other countries in the region.
for Vietnamese women, the challenge is the traditional understanding and expectation of women’s role in families, which have not changed along with women trying to enter into society, even as women are very burdened by trying to balance their being part of the work force and continuing their educations, and taking care of their families.
Viet Nam has had a lot of policies for women, such as about gender equality. This is a foundation for women to develop, but the policies should be applied widely in their lives. If not, women’s lives will continue to be confronted by many obstacles.
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