Vietnam Women's Union

In remote and mountainous areas, outdated customs like child and consanguineous marriage still limit women’s opportunities. To close this gap, the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) leads Project 8 under the National Target Program, aiming to raise awareness, eliminate gender stereotypes, and improve livelihoods and protection for women and children.

Students participate in the “Sunshine on the Mountains” event under Project 8 (Lao Cai, November 2024) to promote gender equality

Over Phase I (2021–2025), Project 8 has begun to shift local mindsets and practices in especially disadvantaged communes. For example, Giang Thi Dung, a 15-year-old Hmong student from Tuyen Quang, once faced pressure to leave school for marriage. After joining the “Leaders of Change” club, she convinced her parents to let her continue studying, believing education is the key to a better life.

In Quang Ngai province, Project 8 supports livelihood models that empower women economically. Many women in Tay Tra Bong commune now apply new farming techniques, form cooperatives, and increase their income.

Local Women’s Union officers educate ethnic minority women and children on gender equality

By the end of Phase I, Project 8 has essentially completed its four core components.

Across ten provinces, more than 7,000 mothers have received support for safe childbirth delivery. The VWU has proposed new policies to help with travel for prenatal checkups and financial aid for mothers with twins or more.

In Tuyen Quang, awareness campaigns have helped ethnic women overcome language barriers and understand the importance of regular maternity care.

For the period of 2026–2030, the VWU plans to continue advocacy, shift mindsets and practices for women and girls in ethnic minority areas, and propose tailored policies to further gender equality and address pressing social challenges, contributing to the national goal of “No one left behind” and the 2021–2030 gender equality strategy.