Vietnam to promote gender equality in ASEAN

The affirmation was made by President of the national Committee for the Advancement of Women Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, while receiving a visiting delegation from the Asian Pacific Women’s Association in Hanoi o­n Oct. 27.

Ngan, who is also Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, announced that Vietnam is building regulations to set up an organisation to promote gender equality for women and girls in the ASEAN community in 2010.

Highly praising the annual activities and charitable assistance of the Asian Pacific Women Association to Vietnam over the past years, Minister Ngan expressed her wish that Vietnam would continue to receive help and cooperation from the organisation in the coming time for the common development of women in the region.

Ngan said that for many years, Vietnam has exerted much effort to promote gender equality, an issue which is already included in the Constitution and laws promulgated in 2006.

In Vietnam, women make up 51 percent of the population, equal to 44 million people. Female deputies in the National Assembly represent more than 25 percent, o­ne of the highest rates in Southeast Asia. At present, Vietnam has a female Vice State President, a Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly and a female Minister

The number of women holding leadership positions in economic sectors is 2 percent less than men. The literacy rate for women is 91 percent and among those holding post graduate degrees, they represent over 30 percent. However, the incomes of women are still lower than those of men.

President of the Asian Pacific Women Association Komura Haruko said she hoped that the association’s current visit would effectively help boost mutual understanding among women in the region and create opportunities for delegates to learn about the Vietnamese people and land.

On this occasion, the Asian Pacific Women Association presented 935,000 JPY (10,000 USD) to the mountainous northern province of Bac Kan. The province plans to use the donation to build a boarding school for ethnic minority students, who make up to 80 percent of the provincial population.

The Asian Pacific Women Association is an organisation made up of the wives of diplomats from 24 Asian-Pacific countries and Japan. The association was established 40 years ago under the sponsorship of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Over the past years, the association made great contributions to friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Japan through cultural exchanges and charitable activities.

The association’s managing President for the 2009-2010 term is Le Thieu Ngan, wife of the Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan.

During the visit from Oct. 25-31, a 50-member delegation from the Asian Pacific Women Association will visit some popular attractions in Vietnam, including, Ha Long Bay, the Hoi An ancient town, Ho Chi Minh City and My Tho city in Tien Giang province.