Tele-conference on family, job training and employment

 Giving the opening remarks, VWU President Mme. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa viewed this as a significant event on the threshold of the 11^th Vietnam National Women’s Congress and the first tele-conference ever organized by VWU with the participation of relevant ministries to discuss the issues closely related to women’s material and spiritual life.

She mentioned, VWU is concerned at the very low rate of trained female workers, which has negative impacts o­n their job opportunities. It is now a big task for VWU to raise the rate of trained female workers and increase employment opportunities for women.

Regarding family matters, apart from the positive impact, the market economy and international integration has made remarkably negative impact o­n families and women in Vietnam. Supporting women to build prosperous, progressive and happy families is the duty of the whole society, of which coordination between the VWU and the relevant ministries and agencies is essential.

According to VWU President, the two issues discussed at the conference are the key tasks of VWU in the coming term. She urged the women participants, based o­n the situations and the needs of women in the grassroots, to discuss, raise questions and inform the ministerial representatives of the obstacles facing local WUs in order to receive answers and guidance, thus enhancing cooperation between VWU and ministries and sectors at all levels.

At the conference, WU staff and women members raised many questions to ministerial representatives. Questions were raised to the MOCST representative o­n its measures to promote women's role in building family and to encourage men’s participation; breakthrough solutions for the Government to implement Vietnam family development strategy in 2011 - 2020 period and Vision to 2030; family education to reduce the current pressing social issues such as crime, drugs, prostitution, domestic violence, trafficking in women and children; the cooperation between MOCST and VWU to carry out effectively the campaign of building a new rural life.

Questions o­n labor and employment for women were raised to MOLISA and MARD, i.e. MOLISAmeasures to narrow gender gapin vocational training; the difference in the content and beneficiaries of the two programs - Supporting womeninvocational training and job creation (Program 295)andVocational trainingforrural laborers(Program 1956); MOLISA guidelines to support vocational trainingand job placement for urban women.

MARD representative was asked about the ministry’s measures to create favorable conditions forwomento participate better in production know-how transfer and pilot model establishment. Women participants also asked the twoministries o­n their solution to tackle the tough indicators of the movement “New ruralconstruction” such aslabor structure transition and rate of trainedlabor, especially for remote and ethnic minority areas…

The ministerial representatives had frankand open discussionson the raised issues and fairly met expectation of the tele-conference participants. The conference opened up importanttopics for discussions at the upcoming 11^th Vietnam National Women’s Congress.

Translated by Int’l Relations Department, VWU