VWU towards Election to National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for 2016-2021 term

 In order to obtain grounds for proposing the contents that have been incorporated in the Law on Election of NA deputies and PC members, since 2014, the VWU has conducted surveys, seminars, forums..., specifically: initiated and coordinated with the Party Central Committee’s Organization and Personnel Commission, Commission for Mass Mobilisation to carry out survey o­n female cadre work in 8 provinces and cities and 2 ministries, and central agencies; in 2015, the VWU coordinated with the NA’s Commission o­n Social Affairs and the National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Vietnam (NCFAW) to hold 5 regional workshops o­n "Enhancing women’s participation in politics"; hosted Asia – Pacific regional workshop o­n "Enhancing women’s participation in elected bodies"; organized forums and dialogues o­n women in politics... In addition, VWU leaders worked with representatives of the Party’s Standing Committee of some provinces and cities to discuss the election preparation, focusing o­n local specific directions and measures to ensure that at least 35% of candidates to the NA and PC are women, and strive to reach 30% female NA deputies.

A new point in the VWU’s women cadre work for this term is that beside introducing VWU staff at all levels as NA candidates, the VWU also proposed a list of outstanding women working in different areas from localities to be considered as potential NA candidates.

In February, 2016, the Central VWU organized a tele-conference with the participation of 63 provincial and city WUs, VWU member organizations and its affiliated units to provide guidances o­n the election of the 14th NA and PC at all levels for 2016 -2021 term, to disseminate documents of the Politburo, the National Assembly, the National Election Council o­n the election of the NA and PC at all levels for 2016-2021 term. The Central VWU organized training of key trainers (TOT) for all the 63 provincial WUs to improve capacity of VWU staff to participate in the election, increasing their awareness of WU roles and responsibilities in the election and enabling them to master concrete activities to be implemented by WU of each level.

WUs of 62/63 provinces and cities have representatives in the Provincial Election Committee. WU and Vietnam Fatherland Front in some provinces and cities namely Hai Phong, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh... have collaboration programs during the negotiation and supervision process... In addition, o­n the occasion of the International Women's Day 8 March, WUs at all levels strengthened their information and communication about the election, outstanding women, voters’ responsibilities.... o­n mass media and at WU’s members meetings, thereby helping people and women get better aware of their responsibilities while participating in elections and wisely vote for qualified candidates to the NA and PC.

After the 2nd round of negotiation, most of provinces have reached over 35% female candidates to the NA & PC as targeted. However, the percentage of female candidates to the NA at the central level was o­nly 14.2%.

In the forthcoming time, WUs at all levels will continue organizing training and refresher training to improve capacity of NA and PC female candidates; actively participate in the election council/committee from the central to grassroots level and in the 3rd negotiation meeting; promote communication to raise awareness o­n gender equality, position, role and contribution of women in elected bodies for VWU members, women and community members; undertake monitoring the implementation of the election legislation in some selected provinces and cities in diferent regions of the country.