Society

Action called for women and girls' safety

More than 50 percent of women and girls feel anxious in public places like buses and bus stops and more than 30 percent cannot find clean public toilets to use, according to a report.
Action called for women and girls' safety ảnh 1Tran Thi Bich Loan, deputy head of the Gender Equality Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (standing), gives an opening speech at the conference. (Photo Courtesy of the ActionAid Vi​etnam)
Hanoi (VNA) - More than 50 percent of women and girlsfeel anxious in public places like buses and bus stops and more than 30 percentcannot find clean public toilets to use, according to a report that also blamedwomen partly for the violence and harassment against themselves in publicplaces.

The report “For a safe city for women and girls” wasreleased on December 2 in Hanoi by the Department of Gender Equality (DGE)under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Research Centrefor Gender, Family and Environment in Development and ActionAid Vietnam.

The report was compiled by organisations that studiedviolence against women and girls in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Uong Bi, Tra Vinh and HCMCity from August to September 2016.

Researchers interviewed and surveyed more than 2,000 peopleincluding women and girls between the age of 16 and 60, and men.

The report aimed to study sexual harassment against womenand girls in public places such as streets, parks, buses and public toilets,and propose appropriate policy recommendations.

The research also pointed out that when violence orharassment occurs in a public place, more than 40 percent of women keep silentinstead of reporting to police.

Tran Thi Bich Loan, deputy director of the DGE, said, “It isobvious that public services in many cities in Vietnam have not met demand andhave not ensured gender sensitivity as well. Public buses and toilets are useddaily by citizens but contain many risks of gender-based violence and sexualharassment.”

Hoang Phuong Thao, country director of ActionAid Vietnam,said, “To solve the problem, it is necessary to get more attention from theGovernment to create safe spaces for women and girls. We need to bring a changein mind and action in each of us.”

“We hope you will take action together with ActionAid Vietnam,our partners and more than 150 cities in 20 countries participating in the‘Safe Cities Campaign’ to build our cities to become safer for women and girlsas our pride,” she said.

Researchers proposed the law requirestronger penalties for those who commit harassment.

Cameras should be installed on busesand at bus stations.

Concerned organisations need tointegrate knowledge about social and interpersonal skills for women and girls,especially about how to protect themselves.

Security forces should bestrengthened to carry out patrols in public, especially in solitude places.-VNA

VNA
#violence against women#report#ActionAid Vietnam#safe cities campaign
Follow VietnamPlus

Related News

ASEAN bolsters women’s, children’s rights

ASEAN bolsters women’s, children’s rights

The 11th Meeting of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) took place in Makati, the Philippines from October 18-20.

See more

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

ASEAN’s goods, culinary culture promoted in Europe

The ASEAN Committee in Prague (ACP) launched an "ASEAN Food Corner" on October 22, aiming to promote the culinary culture and introduce goods from ASEAN countries to consumers in the Czech Republic and Europe at large.

If the plan is approved, public employees will enjoy a continuous 9-day Tet break from January 25 to February 2 next year. (Photo: VNA)

2025 Lunar New Year holiday plan submitted to PM

The Ministry of Labour – Invalids and Social Affairs on October 22 submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister regarding the schedule for the 2025 Lunar New Year (Tet) – Vietnam’s largest traditional celebration – and other national holidays.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Kien Giang continues to take firm stand against IUU fishing

The Standing Board of the Party Committee of southern Kien Giang province has called for strengthening the Party's leadership in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, part of a broader national effort to have the “yellow card” warning lifted by the European Commission (EC).

Yen Bai city in the northern province of Yen Bai is severely affected by Typhoon Yagi. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam receives EU’s humanitarian aid for Typhoon Yagi victims

The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VNRC) Central Committee has received humanitarian response and early recovery support from the European Union and its member states through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)' Emergency Appeal to assist the Vietnamese people affected by Typhoon Yagi and its subsequent floodings.

Conscripted Vietnamese workers honoured with ceremony in France (Photo: VNA)

Conscripted Vietnamese workers honoured with ceremony in France

A solemn ceremony was held on October 20 in the southern city of Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture of France, to mark the 10th anniversary of the memorial dedicated to Indochinese workers who came to work in the Camargue region during World War II.

At the signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between Bac Lieu and Uiseong county, Gyeongsangbuk-do province on sending local labourers to the RoK to work seasonally under the form of locality-to-locality collaboration between the two countries in the 2023 - 2027 period. (Photo: VNA)

Bac Lieu, Korean locality sign labour cooperation agreement

The Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on October 21 signed a cooperation agreement with Uiseong county, Gyeongsangbuk-do province of the Republic of Korea (RoK) on sending local labourers to the RoK to work seasonally under the form of locality-to-locality collaboration between the two countries in the 2023 - 2027 period.

(Photo: VNA)

Tien Giang strives to reduce poverty rate to 0.87% this year

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committees at all levels in the southern province of Tien Giang have collaborated with agencies and organisations to speed up social security programmes, aiming to reduce the province's poverty rate to 0.87% this year, said Vice President of the provincial VFF Committee Huynh Van Hai.

The Chinese sailor is rushed to FV (Franco-Vietnamese) Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for treatment as soon as he is brought to the shore. (Photo: VNA)

Chinese sick sailor on vessel AMIS STAR provided with first aid

A ship from the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VMRCC) on October 20 provided first aid to critically-ill Chinese sailor on a Liberia-flagged vessel off the coast of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau before bringing him to the shore for further treatment.

At the meeting between Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang and UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam respects right to freedom of belief, religion: official

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Vu Chien Thang highlighted Vietnam’s consistent policy of respecting and protecting the right to freedom of belief and religion for all people, while meeting with UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif in his recent trip to Switzerland.