The Government has issued a seven-point programme for advancing women during the country’s national industrialisation and modernisation process in an effort to turn Vietnam into a regional leader in gender equality issues by 2020. 

The programme of action calls for an increased awareness and sense of responsibility from authorities at all levels towards furthering women in the modern world by enforcing gender equality to enable educated and professional women to contribute more to the nation’s development. 

“Women should have an equal access to employment and enjoy a significant improvement in their standards of living, materially, culturally and spiritually. This will give them the opportunity to play a greater role in society and in all other fields, enabling them to contribute more to the community and their families” emphasises the Government’s scheme. 

The seven recommendations include drawing the attention of the whole political spectrum to gender equality issues and encouraging state agencies to work closer together to help women advance themselves. 

The programme also calls for legislation concerning women and gender equality issues to be made more accessible, which will increase public awareness. 

A comprehensive legal system and the introduction of more appropriate measures are also essential for achieving a fair and equal society. 

Ensuring equality between men and women in management positions, especially in State agencies and sectors, is now one of the government’s major objectives. 

“More effort needs to be made to utilise all the available resources to achieve gender equality and raise the status of women, including more research and international cooperation,” says the government.

(Source: VOV)