The number of women in leadership positions in political organisations,including the National Assembly and Government, has yet to reach itsfull potential, said Deputy Head of the Vietnam Women’s Union Nguyen ThiThu Ha.
Speaking at a policy dialogue on promoting women’sparticipation in politics on March 26, Ha said improper regulations andgender discrimination were huge impediments for women who wanted to getinvolved in politics.
According to the union’s 2011 statistics,women filled over 8 percent of posts in party committees at the centrallevel, 11 percent at the provincial level, 15 percent at the districtlevel and 18 percent at the commune level.
ViceDirector of Centre for Education Promotion and Empowerment of Women(CEPEW) Ngo Thu Ha said the number of women in leadership posts hasbarely increased and even decreased.
In the National Assembly(NA), for example, the percentage of female deputies declined in thelast decade, from 27.3 percent in the 11 th NA (2002-07) to 24.2percent in the 13 th NA (2011-16).
She said few women have realpower in decision making and few take key positions, blaming the problemon regulations about retirement age and a lack of regulations aboutwomen’s candidacy for future leadership posts.
Nearly half of women over 46 participate in political activities,according to a survey about women’s political participation conductedlate last year by CEPEW and Action Aid in Hanoi , Quang Ninh, Dak Lak,Tra Vinh and Ho Chi Minh City . Under current regulations, it isdifficult for them to become promising candidates for future leadershippositions.
Only 21 percent of current female leadersare under 36 years old – indicating that there maybe a shortage ofviable candidates in the future.
Traditionally,women are saddled with responsibility for both family and work, makingit especially hard for them to get politically involved.
Deputy director of Gender Equity Department under the Ministry ofLabor, Invalids and Social Affairs Vu Ngoc Thuy said Vietnam launched anational gender equity strategy toward 2020 three years ago thatincluded projects to strengthen women’s capacities and create candidatesfor future leadership posts.
She said drastic measures are needed to boost the participation of women in leadership.
By2020, the country aims for women to fill at least 25 percent of postsin party committees at all levels and 35-40 percent of seats in theNational Assembly. State and Government agencies aim to have femalesoccupy at least 30 percent of key leadership positions.-VNA
Speaking at a policy dialogue on promoting women’sparticipation in politics on March 26, Ha said improper regulations andgender discrimination were huge impediments for women who wanted to getinvolved in politics.
According to the union’s 2011 statistics,women filled over 8 percent of posts in party committees at the centrallevel, 11 percent at the provincial level, 15 percent at the districtlevel and 18 percent at the commune level.
ViceDirector of Centre for Education Promotion and Empowerment of Women(CEPEW) Ngo Thu Ha said the number of women in leadership posts hasbarely increased and even decreased.
In the National Assembly(NA), for example, the percentage of female deputies declined in thelast decade, from 27.3 percent in the 11 th NA (2002-07) to 24.2percent in the 13 th NA (2011-16).
She said few women have realpower in decision making and few take key positions, blaming the problemon regulations about retirement age and a lack of regulations aboutwomen’s candidacy for future leadership posts.
Nearly half of women over 46 participate in political activities,according to a survey about women’s political participation conductedlate last year by CEPEW and Action Aid in Hanoi , Quang Ninh, Dak Lak,Tra Vinh and Ho Chi Minh City . Under current regulations, it isdifficult for them to become promising candidates for future leadershippositions.
Only 21 percent of current female leadersare under 36 years old – indicating that there maybe a shortage ofviable candidates in the future.
Traditionally,women are saddled with responsibility for both family and work, makingit especially hard for them to get politically involved.
Deputy director of Gender Equity Department under the Ministry ofLabor, Invalids and Social Affairs Vu Ngoc Thuy said Vietnam launched anational gender equity strategy toward 2020 three years ago thatincluded projects to strengthen women’s capacities and create candidatesfor future leadership posts.
She said drastic measures are needed to boost the participation of women in leadership.
By2020, the country aims for women to fill at least 25 percent of postsin party committees at all levels and 35-40 percent of seats in theNational Assembly. State and Government agencies aim to have femalesoccupy at least 30 percent of key leadership positions.-VNA
