(VOVworld) – An international seminar on female parliamentarians who promote national policies on gender equality opened on Thursday in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province.

50 female politicians from Vietnam and other ASEAN countries discussed the roles the Committees for Gender equality and parliamentary groups play, as well as how to draw up and carry out national strategies on the issue. The Vice Chairwoman of this NA, Tong Thi Phong stated that Vietnam was one of the first countries to sign and approve the UN Convention on discrimination and implement it domestically. During NA’s 12 terms, Vietnam’s female parliamentarians have also made a huge contribution to national construction and defence. Ms. Tong Thi Phong: "I hope that this seminar will enable the participants to share and exchange their experiences on the role female parliamentarians play in promoting gender equality, especially when creating national strategies on the issue. They will discuss future cooperation to raise the role of female parliamentarians in ASEAN’s parliamentary activities".