The Congress for the 2017-2022tenure, themed “Solidarity – Renovation – Equality – Integration”, attracted1,153 delegates representing women from walks of life across the country.
Accounting for more than half ofthe population and 48 percent of workforce, the Vietnamese women have been activein every aspect, actively responded to patriotic emulation campaigns and abidedby the Party policies and State laws, he said.
He praised the VWU for continuingto uphold its crucial role in women work and gender equality cause, betterperforming its functions of representing and protecting legitimate rights andinterests of women, serving as a bridge connecting the Party and women,contributing to building the great national unity, a strong and transparentParty and political system.
The Party chief said the rate of femaleleadership in the political system is growing, with 25 percent of legislatorsbeing women. Women working in science-technology sector account for nearly 40percent and female scientists make up over 6 percent of the total.
Directing VWU’s activities in thenear future, he said the union needs to fully grasp the Resolution adopted bythe 12th National Party Congress and take specific measures to bringit into life.
The leader requested furtherimproving the quality of emulation campaigns and engaging them into thoselaunched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front, including the campaigns “For thePoor” and “Studying and following moral example and lifestyle of President HoChi Minh”.
It is necessary to raise womenand VWU’s role in building cultural and happy families, he said, adding that VWUchapters at all levels should continue assisting women in implementing marriage-familypolicies, maternal and child health care and protection, and environmentprotection.
The VWU chapters were asked toadopt synchronous measures for the full advancement of women in terms ofbrainpower, morality, well-being, innovation capacity and sense of civic responsibilitywhile building a contingent of qualified staff with political firmness andvirtue and introducing capable women to Party committees, local authorities,ministries, agencies and sectors from the grassroots to the central level.
He wished that the VWU wouldseriously implement the Resolution on strengthening Party building andrectification set by the fourth plenum of the 12th Party CentralCommittee, encourage its members to effectively join social supervision andcriticism, Party and administration building, as well as the fight againstcorruption, wastefulness and negative phenomena.
On the occasion, GeneralSecretary Nguyen Phu Trong urged Party committees, local authorities and sectorsto devise specific plans to improve the efficiency of women work and operationsof VWU chapters, and raise public awareness of gender equality.
Speaking at the event, VWUChairwoman for the 11th tenure Nguyen Thi Thu Ha said the Congresswill review the past activities, discuss orientations and goals for the2017-2022 tenure, adopt the amendments and supplements to VWU’s regulations andelect an executive board of the VWU Central Committee.
A highlight in the past tenurewas support for women in economic development, she said, adding that VWUchapters offered assistance to more than 2.4 million poor households led bywomen, 430,000 of them have escaped from poverty via funding from the VietnamBank for Social Policies and the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
They raised over 1 trillion VND(43.4 million USD) to provide care for policy beneficiaries and families ofsoldiers tasked with safeguarding sea and island sovereignty, repaired about20,000 houses, and successfully proposed 119 policies.
During the 2017-2022 tenure, VWUsets the goal of improving material and spiritual lives of women, building astrong and professional women’s union and continuing emulation campaigns forthe sake of gender equality and women’s advancement.
It will set the three key tasksof assisting women in building a happy family, start-ups, economic development,and environment protection; engaging them into building the Party andadministration, social supervision and criticism; and stepping uppeople-to-people diplomacy.-VNA