Vietnamese women: empowerment tops ASEAN countries

The gender gap remarkably narrowing…

Today, more and more women are actively participating in social activities both in urban and rural areas. Specifically, they have shined brightly in even many fields commonly regarded as the man’s arena such as business, scientific research and social management. In some areas, women even show more overwhelming power than men. The image of contemporary Vietnamese women with creativeness, dynamism, success has become popular in Vietnam’s society. The fact reveals that the gender gap has been remarkably narrowed and women enjoy many more opportunities to pursue their social careers and obtain success, contributing to national socio-economic development.

According to Prof. Le Thi Quy, Director of the Gender and Development Research Centre under the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University, gender equity in Vietnam has reached a high level over the past decade. The rate of Vietnamese women becoming National Assembly members from the 9th term to the 11th term increased 8.7%, bringing the proportion of Vietnamese women in authority to 27.3%, the highest rate in Southeast Asia. There is no big gap in the level of literacy and schooling between men and woman. Women account for about 37% of university and college graduates, 19.9% of doctoral degree holders and 6.7% of professors and associate professors.

The legitimate rights of women and children are ensured more than ever before with more complete legal documents including laws, conventions and national action plans, among which the laws o­n “gender equity“ mark a turning-point in the empowerment of women.

Mass media also highlights the continued success of women in every field and honours their great importance in modern society, helping to do away with outdated perceptions about traditional women’s duties. Many projects o­n reproductive health care, children protection, and family income improvement jointly conducted by various mass organisations, state agencies and non-governmental organisations have created favorable conditions for women to become involved.

More understanding and sharing needed…

Despite the progress, there remain outdated beliefs about women’s roles, traditionally passed down from generation to generation. Men are commonly seen as the strong bodies, bread-winners in the family and key leaders in society, while women are restricted to being housewives and child bearing and care, and housework such as washing and cooking.

According to social surveys, many women in the 21st century still have to work over 12 hours a day including working in offices and doing countless household chores without any help from their husbands. In some regions, the labour of women is not recognised despite the hardships they endure to support the whole family. Moreover, women are the direct victims of family violence, especially in rural areas.

Mass media has shown its power to honour women but remains insufficient. According to a survey by Ms. Nghiem Tuyet Minh, lecturer at the Department of Sociology under the Academy of Journalism and Propaganda, women featured o­n TV shows, in magazines and advertisements are restricted o­nly to cultural and medical events, cooking, make-up, fashion and social evils, and there are very few images of men sharing in housework and child care. Seldom do men take part in exchange programmes o­n family planning, reproductive health care and HIV/AIDS campaigns.

Therefore, education to raise awareness of gender equity should receive more consideration so that men are encouraged to understand and share their wives’ burdens while women are trying their best to assert their positions in an active way. That is the ultimate goal of the project titled “Encourage men’s understanding and sharing for real gender equity” conducted by the HealthBridge Foundation, Canada in Bac Ninh province from October 2004 to September 2007.