Delegates at the event (Photo: VNA)Thai Nguyen (VNA) – Measures to enhance women’s accessto clean water and sanitation in rural areas were discussed in a seminar held bythe Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) and the Women’s Union of Thai Nguyen province on March 28.
Truong Thi Thu Thuy, head of the Family-Social Affairs Department under the VWUsaid the VWU selected the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, the southernmostprovince of Ca Mau and the northern mountainous province of Thai Nguyen to implementsupporting measures to increase the number of people who have access toclean water and sanitation, hygiene.
According to data from Thai Nguyen province’s WaterSupply and Environmental Sanitation Centre, as of the end of 2021, the ratio ofrural households using clean water meeting the Health Ministry's standards reached50.25%.
Meanwhile, statistics of the provincial Health Department revealed that as of 2022, 86% of all families had toilets meeting hygienestandard. A survey from the provincial Women's Union found that, 4,500households in 77 communes, mainly in mountainous and highland districts such asVo Nhai, Dinh Hoa, Dong Hy, did not have any toilet facility.
To improve rural women’s access to clean water,sanitation and hygiene, the VWU and experts from UNICEF have assisted the province in developing a plan on improving household’s living conditions and helping all households to have toilet facility during 2023-2025 with thedirect targets of the project being women and girls in households withoutlatrines.
The plan is expected to help communes to meet criteria of new-style rural areas in the next phrase, as well as assist with efforts to deliver on the government's commitment tothe United Nations to end open defecation by 2025 and that all familieshave hygienic latrines by 2030./.
