New report highlights the opportunities and challenges of WTO accession for women

The report highlights the enhanced employment and poverty reduction opportunities for rural women following o­n from accession to WTO in 2007 and Vietnam’s broader economic reforms. These benefits have been particularly strong for younger women working in the industrial sector and for middle-aged women in small-scale trade and services. However, the report notes that rural women’s opportunities often remain limited to low skilled jobs and they remain vulnerable to unregulated working conditions. Access to credit, education and vocational training is also limited, restricting rural women workers’ ability to access higher quality jobs. Groups of women already marginalized – such as young, single and disabled women – are particularly vulnerable to exploitation.

The study found that migrant women, especially younger migrant women, often experience poor living conditions and insecurity. ILSSA lead researcher, Mme Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, commented: “Women workers are often subject to sexual harassment and face a lack of support and no social networks, being away from their families in new locations.” The report further details the sobering reality that these women are exposed to risk of exploitation and fraudulent job brokers, increasing their vulnerability to trafficking.

The report includes qualitative interviews with about 250 women. Dr Annalise Moser from UNIFEM said: “This type of qualitative research is necessary to identify the perspectives of rural women themselves. There is often not the time or ability to do this in a large scale survey and although this study o­nly points to the issues faced by women in two areas within two provinces, it is rich with important feedback for policy makers and development workers.”

The report carries with it several policy recommendations. These include: strengthening education and training opportunities for rural women; raising awareness of risks and rights in relation to migration and employment; promoting a greater understanding of gender equity among local officials; and increasing investment in job creation, self-employment and vocational training in rural areas.

Speaking at today’s launch Australia’s Ambassador, Mr Allaster Cox, stressed the importance of strengthening social protection measures in order to ensure that the poverty reduction and employment benefits of international economic integration are shared equitably.

Acting Resident Co-ordinator, Dr Jean Marc Olivé used today’s launch to highlight the report’s importance, stating that: “Rural women in Vietnam have made an invaluable contribution, not just to this specific research, but to responding to the challenges of Vietnam in such broad areas as finance, climate change and natural disasters. They have been, and will continue to be essential to the social development of this country. Their voices, their stories, and their solutions have an incredible amount to offer to us all.”

The report is the result of over a year’s work from the research team, led by the Research Center o­n Female Labour and Gender within ILSSSA, with o­ngoing technical support and advice from UNIFEM and the UN Country Team in Vietnam.

ATP