Vietnam - Korea Women’s Forum discusses digital transformation's impact on women

03/08/2021
The 8th Vietnam-Korea Women’s Forum themed “Women in a Digitalizing World: the Case of Vietnam and South Korea” held on July 21st focused on the impacts of digitalization on women’s participation in international integration and improvement solutions.

The Forum has been co-organized by the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) and the Korean Women’s Development Institute (KWDI) since 2013 under the MOU signed by the two organizations. The 2021 Forum aims to share experiences from both countries and possibilities for domestic and foreign cooperation, helping women not to be left behind in the digital transition process. The Forum also contributes to enhancing the understanding and cooperation between women in the two countries. 

Over the years, the forum has conducted lively discussions on outstanding issues of gender equality, including strategies to promote gender mainstreaming and strengthen the role of women, said KWDI’s President Ms. Yookyoung Moon.

President of the KWDI Yookyoung Moon addresses the forum from Seoul.

Advanced digital technology is rapidly entering the labor market, creating new jobs and improving working conditions for women. However, according to Ms. Moon, digital transformation also raises concerns about job polarization and the "blind spot" of professional development. She appreciated the Forum's opportunity to discuss solutions to ensure digital transformation serve women’s better participation in economic activities.

According to VWU’s Vice President Tran Thi Huong, this year Forum touches on a very hot issue, reflecting the problems that women are facing. The Forum is a good opportunity for Vietnamese and South Korean partners to learn from each other and explore cooperation possibilities. The presentations, comments and opinions shared at the Forum show great attention attached to supporting women's digital transformation. Digital transformation is the key to breakthroughs for each country's socio-economic development, including enhancing gender equality and effectively responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 VWU’s Vice President Tran Thi Huong speaks at the Forum

To work effectively on digital platforms, it is essential for leaders and managers to have plans to expand the coverage to minimize blind spots in the social protection system and to find the best solutions to the digital labor platform for women, shared the Forum participants.

The goal of the VWU is to continue to provide women with digital skills and guidance on technology application in production and business, to search for needed information and improve their knowledge. The information from the Forum would serve as a valuable suggestion for the VWU when identifying priorities for a new tenure at the 13th National Women's Congress to be held in March 2022, said Ms. Tran Thi Huong. She expected the two sides would continue to exchange experiences and cooperate so as women would not be left behind in the digitalizing world.

Ms. Yookyoung Moon appreciated the Forum's contribution to gender equality work. In order to successfully build an equal society, policy advocacy for women is very important. KWDI would keep promoting cooperative activities with the VWU and connect women's agencies and organizations in the two countries for a better future of the women, she affirmed.

 

Translated by VWU International Relations Department

NEWS

Video