Scene at the event (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Orientations for promotinggender equality in development were tabled at a workshop hosted by theAustralia Embassy in Hanoi on May 15.
Speaking at the function, Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Presidentof the Vietnam Women’s Union, stressed the promotion of gender equality inVietnam has recorded significant progress in recent years.
Ha revealed that about 26.8 percent of members ofthe National Assembly are women, adding that Vietnam now has three female membersof the Political Bureau and has a chairwoman of the National Assembly for thefirst time.
Women account for 46.6 percent of universitygraduates and women make up 48-49 percent of the country’s total workforce, sheadded.
The official also pointed out shortcomings in thegender equality-related work, including ineffective legal documents, high proportionof female labourers in the unofficial workforce, violence and abuse against womenand salary gap between men and women.
Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick saidgender equality and women empowerment are an important part of the Vietnam –Australia partnership.
He added that social-economic benefits created byempowered women are huge, and Vietnam is among leading nations in the region interms of female participation in the workforce and education.
At the workshop, participants heard experts talkingabout global trends involving gender equality, as well as gender equality andwomen empowerment in Vietnam.
The event marked the opening of Australia AwardsShort Courses in Project Implementation to Optimise Gender Outcomes. The shortcourses enabled mid-level managers from the Ministries of Transport, Industryand Trade, and Investment and Planning, and the Party Central Committee’s EconomicCommission, and other key organizations involved in Aus4Reform andAus4Transport, to promote and implement gender equality in their programmes.
Participants of the courses are set to continuetheir training in Australia for two weeks after six days trained in Vietnam.They will be equipped with contemporary knowledge, methods and techniques foreffectively integrating gender equality considerations throughout the programmemanagement cycle.-VNA
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