Viet Nam renews commitments to warding off discriminations against women

Ha Thi Khiet, Chairperson of the National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Viet Nam (NCFAW), was speaking in her introduction of the country's combined fifth and sixth National Reports o­n the implementation of CEDAW before the CEDAW Committee in New York o­n Jan. 17.

She affirmed, "The Vietnamese State attaches much importance to the serious implementation of the provisions of CEDAW, including the submission of the regular reports to the Committee. The combined 5th and 6th National Report has been carefully prepared by an inter-disciplinary board led by top figures of NCFAW and adopted by the Prime Minister before submission to the Committee."

The official also reiterated that the country has advocated the elimination of all forms of discrimination between men and women in the family as well as in all aspects of the social life.

"In the past five years, Viet Nam has deployed various policies and measures in the legislative, executive and judicial fields to promote the equality between men and women and ensure the full development of women so as to enhance women’s role and position in all areas," Khiet told the UN officials.

She mentioned the National Assembly’s adoption of the Law o­n Gender Equality with the contents and spirit of which reflect clearly the fundamental principles and provisions of CEDAW. She affirmed that the law has really helped improve the Vietnamese legal system o­n gender equality and women’s advancement while at the same time confirmed Viet Nam’s strong commitment and determination in implementing at best the CEDAW and the MDGs o­n gender equality. The law will come into effect o­n July 1, 2007.

In addition, women have been designated as o­ne of the seven priority social groups in the country's orientation for the sustainable development strategy (known as Agenda 21), Khiet added.

She also presented th e National Strategy for the Advancement of Women in Viet Nam as a concrete example of the institutionalisation of gender equality targets with the overall goal being ‘improving the quality of women’s material and mental life, creating all conditions to effectively implement the fundamental rights and bringing into full play the role of women in all political, economic, cultural and educational fields.’

The official also underscored that ministries, agencies and all the provinces and cities have formulated and deployed their own plans of action for the advancement of women in their respective areas and localities, while the Government has also applied various specific measures to promote the equality between men and women, particularly in identifying the retirement age, retirement benefits and payment, allowances and social insurance policy, maternity leave allowance, and other policies for female labourers.

The Vietnamese State also commits itself to the fight against the exploitation of women for prostitution, violence against women and trafficking in women and children through the strictest legislative, executive and judicial measures, considering this as the permanent political task to ensure the health, dignity and honour of women and children, the Vietnamese official elaborated.
Thanks to these efforts, the gender gaps in most political, economic, social, health, educational, labour-employment and cultural areas in Viet Nam have been narrowed down considerably, Khiet said, citing the fact that Viet Nam leads Asian countries and ranks 18th in the world o­n women participation in the parliament in the 11th National Assembly (2002-2007) with a ratio of 27.31 percent and female entrepreneurs now account for 20 percent of the total number, of whom 25 percent work in the private sector.

Besides achievements in gender equality, Khiet told the UN officials that the country still faces many difficulties and challenges in the implementation of CEDAW, including gender stereotyping and the society’s attitude of giving preference to male over female, poor access to education by girls and women of the ethnic minorities in the remote and mountainous areas, women abuse in family in both urban and rural areas and in all social groups.

New challenges are also arising from the negative impacts of the market economy and the expansion of international interactions, especially the problem of trafficking in women for prostitution, wrong-doings in the marriage service for women looking for foreign husbands also, said Khiet.

She expressed wishes for stronger international cooperation in the field of gender equality and the promotion of women's rights and advancement.