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Vietnam makes great strides in promoting gender equality
Vietnam makes great strides in promoting gender equality
15/12/18
Vietnam has made great achievements in promoting gender equality and narrowing the gender gap, especially in terms of employment, health care, and education.
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA) launched an action month for gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence from November 15 to December 15, 2018. This is the third year the ministry has carried out this activity.
Statistics show that the percentage of female-owned enterprises hit 27.8 percent in 2017, the highest in Southeast Asia and ranked 19th worldwide.
The percentage of female National Assembly deputies in the 2016-2021 tenure is 27.2 percent, higher than the Asian average of 19 percent and the global average of 21 percent.
Vietnam was ranked 97th out of 144 countries in terms of the percentage of women participating in politics. It is one of the top 10 best performers worldwide in terms of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 on gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, increasing the literacy rate of girls, and promoting the participation of women in all aspects of the workforce.
However, Vietnam still faces many challenges in ensuring gender equality between men and women.
The gender pay gap still exists in many areas, while violence against and the abuse of women and children are still a regular occurrence in many regions across the country.
The percentage of women working in low-income occupations with poor working conditions also remains high.
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the percentage of girls in primary and secondary schools is lower than that of boys, especially in poor rural and ethnic minority areas.
Female access to reproductive healthcare services in rural and ethnic minority areas is limited, while maternal mortality is high compared to those in regional countries.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that Vietnam is witnessing an imbalance in the sex ratio at birth, as this ratio stood at 112.8 boys for every 100 girls in 2015, and has increased to 113.4 boys for every 100 girls at present.
If the sex ratio continues to increase and widen as it is, Vietnam will face a serious gender imbalance in the next 20-25 years, experts said.
Other challenges of gender equality in Vietnam are also related to the growing population, such as family planning activities and reproductive health, the labour market, and social status./.
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All comments [ 11 ]
Though no specific studies have been published on violence against women and children in Vietnam, it is estimated that over 50 percent of women have experienced at least one form of violence – be it physical, sexual, and psychological violence – at some point in their lives.
The authorities have set up community-based shelters, support centres, and gender equality consulting services for gender-specific violence victims.
The government has also promoted violence-free, friendly schools and safe cities for women and children to raise public awareness of the issue and reduce potential risks for women and children.
Prejudices against victims of sexual abuse have prevented them from being fully supported, not to mention negative judgments they could face for speaking out or seeking justice.
Vietnam has made great achievements in promoting gender equality.
Many turn their backs on victims, and as a result, these women and girls have been conditioned into believing that they themselves are responsible.
To address the issue, I suggest launching high-quality support services for victims that cover different aspects from healthcare and psychology to legal consultancy, and that these services must be friendly and easy to access.
There is the need to change people’s attitude on gender-based violence, particularly sexual violence and harassment.
Relevant governmental agencies must collect comprehensive national statistics on sexual violence against women and girls and improve the current legislation on this issue.
Gender equality is human rights standard!
Women have equal rights in marriage and payment opportunities; in participation of social, political and economic events. Especially, women are playing an increasingly important role in political activities. In terms of the percentage of women members in parliament, Vietnam ranks 2nd in Asia-Pacific and 9th among other 135 countries.
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