At an event called "Ring the Bell for Gender Equality" organized by HOSE and UN Women (Photo: dansinh.dantri.com.vn)

Gender equality, a basic human right, is important to national development. 50 million Vietnamese women, more than half of the population, have been playing a significant role in national renewal.

Ensuring basic human rights

Vietnam shows its strong determination to promote gender equality and the advancement of women with a clear, consistent, and practical strategy. Since its inception, the Communist Party of Vietnam has clearly pointed out that equality between men and women is one of the ten essential tasks of the Vietnamese revolution. With that guideline, the State of Vietnam has steadily improved policies to ensure women’s rights and promote gender equality and the advancement of women.

Vietnam is one of the countries with a relatively comprehensive and complete legal and policy framework to promote gender equality. The Constitution stipulates “Male and female citizens are equal in all aspects. The State has policies to ensure gender equality rights and opportunities”. Vietnam’s legal documents have concretized the Constitution into laws, including the Law on Gender Equality, the Marriage and Family Law, the Law on Anti-Domestic Violence, the Law on Election of National Assembly Deputies and People's Council Deputies, the Labor Code, and the Land Law. Vietnam has signed several international conventions and major agendas on women's rights and gender equality.

Vietnamese Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan and female Ambassadors of Chiefs of International Organizations in Vietnam visits Dong Ho folk painting village

Vietnamese women are engaged in all aspects of life. Female members account for an average of 16% of provincial Party Committees nationwide. 61/63 provinces and cities have female officials in the standing board. The number of female deputies in the current 15^th NA is 30, which account for 26% of total deputies, an increase of 3.5% compared to the previous term. The percentage of female deputies in provincial People's Councils for the 2021-2026 term is 29%, compared to 26.5% in the previous term.

Vietnamese women have asserted their position and role in business. The number of women-led businesses has increased. The 2021 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs report shows that 26.5% of businesses in Vietnam are owned by women, ranking 9th out of the 58 economies studied.

The project "Supporting women's startups in the 2017-2025 period" has encouraged women to participate in economic development and promoted their creative startup ideas. Access to education, maternal health, and women's participation in the workforce, as well as the legal and institutional framework for gender equality have been strengthened.

International acknowledgment

Vietnam was one of the first countries to complete its millennium goals on gender equality and is trying to complete the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes the goals of promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls. According to the United Nations, Vietnam is a bright spot in implementing the millennium goals on gender equality.

Jesper Morch, Chief Representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam, said Vietnam leads the Asia-Pacific region in gender equality indicators by providing health and education services to girls, boys, women, and men. The disparity in enrollment rates between girls and boys is very low.

According to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Report published by the World Economic Forum, Vietnam had one of the fastest indexes of progress in gender equality in economics, education, health, and politics.

Maria Olandina Isabel Caeiro Alves, Ambassador of Timor-Leste

Maria Olandina Isabel Caeiro Alves, Ambassador of Timor-Leste said Vietnam is a successful model in the world in promoting gender equality, in accordance with the UN’s sustainable development goals. She praised Vietnam’s policies to ensure the rights, enhance the position, and promote the role of women.

Vietnam's gender equality index in 2023 ranked 72 of 146 countries, up 11 places compared to 2022. Vietnam’s outstanding achievements in ensuring and promoting gender equality are attributable to the fact that they are included in the Party and State’s major, strategic and long-term goals.