Women Innovation Day 2011

The event attracted the participation of over 600 participants including representatives from concerned ministries, sectors & branches, representatives from associations, research institutes & centers, members of the WID 2011 advisory board and representatives from embassies and international organizations…

At the Exhibition, 139 innovative products including 79 products innovated by individuals and 60 - women collectives were displayed by 5 key sectors as economic (32), education and training (37), science and technology (36), literature and arts (10) and health and social (24). Whether a set of reference material, a book or a small product, it is the crystallization of the women’s thinking, exploration and innovation; and it shows a fact that in any condition, situation and position, human must and are able to innovate, that the innovation’s outcomes, whether big or small, are of values.

Together with the Exhibition, the Symposium o­n Women and Innovation opens an opportunity for women innovators to share information, experiences as well as to make recommendations to the State, the VWU and other concerned bodies.

Participating in this symposium are women – authors of innovative products in different sectors, who come from various corners of the country. The Symposium is started with the keynote speech by Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet – VWU’s Vice-President, highlighting the relationship between women and innovation from different angles: women as the source of aspiration for innovation, as innovators, and as beneficiaries of the innovation; significance of innovation to the improving of women’s life, enhancing their status in the family and society and pushing forwards gender equality.

Two invited international speakers, Ms. Victoria Kwakwa, country director of the Word Bank in Vietnam and Mr. Kimmo Ladevirta, the Finnish Ambassador, share their international experiences and fresh ideas o­n gender equality and innovation. Seven selectedwomen innovators, specifically, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoe – President of KOVA Paint Corporation, Ms. Le Thi Minh from Cat Hai District Women’s Union, Ms. Le Thi Binh, Director of Tam Binh Pharmaceutical Company, Ms. Nguyen Tuyet Hanh from Primary Education Division of Department of Education and Training of Vinh Long province and Ms. Phan Thi Luong from Vinh Phuc province shared their diverse experiences in innovation.

Regardless the different backgrounds of an entrepreneur, a teacher, a worker, a farmer, women innovators are making efforts in innovating, thus easing the work burden or their daily lives. They share common ideas about their key success factors and lessons learnt as love for innovation and access to environment of innovation; strong commitment and determination; patience; being hardworking, eager and open to learn from others; innovations are to be needs-responsive and local specific; close collaboration of concerned stake-holders; making use of associated strength; being quality-driven; proper human resource management (for example: good compensation for staff and employees); broadening international relations; well harmonizing & balancing work and family and proper pressures management.

Attending the Seminar “Women’s Innovation - Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions” are the members of the advisory board of the WID 2011, representatives of the VWU’s management board, women innovators… The Seminar is started with the keynote speech of the VWU’s Vice-president Tran Thanh Binh highlighting the VWU’s roles in encouraging women of different social walks to actively study, creatively work in order to contribute to the national development, the VWU’s roles in promoting women’s roles and contribution in the national socio-economic development via the Kovalevskaia Awards, Vietnam Women Awards; the opportunities and challenges facing Vietnamese women in innovation;recommendations to the Party, Government and sectors & branches as well as to women’s unions of different levels for promoting women’s innovation.

Prof. PhD. Pham Thi Tran Chau – Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association for Female Intellectuals, Associate Prof. Dr. Truong Manh Tien – Chairman of the Vietnamese Environmental Economics Society, Head of VIFOTEC Prize Examining Council o­n environmental preservation technologies and proper use of natural resources, Dr. Ha Phuong Thuy – Deputy Director of the Agricultural Genetics Institute and Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai - a poet and a member of the Vietnam Writers’ Association share ideas o­n women and innovation from their professional backgrounds and policy aspects. Two invited international speakers, Mr. Hannu Kokko, Chief Technical Advisor of the Innovation Partnership Program and Mr. Ko Sihyun from the Embassy of the Republic of Koreaprovide new approach in strengthening the national innovation system and experiences in promoting women economic empowerment and gender equality.

In parallel with the above activities, the Trade fair of women entrepreneurs’ products was organized o­n 15 and 16 October, 2011 with 21 booths of women entrepreneurs clubs from the provinces & cities namely Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc… with the products ranging from food & food stuff, safe vegetables, ceramic and pottery to handicraft and garment products. The trade fair is significant not o­nly in helping women entrepreneurs increase sales revenues, but also to promote their products and business’s brands.

The WID this year was ended with the Cultural Exchange Evening for conferring the Vietnam Women Awards and VWU’s Merit Certificates o­n 79 women individuals and 60 collectives – authors of the innovative products o­n display. Together with the leaders of the Party, State, the Vietnam Women’s Union, representatives from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and Belgian Development Agency (BTC) attended the event and conferred the merit certificates to women innovators.

The series of WID 2011 activities have contributed to promoting the sense of invention and innovation of Vietnamese women in various fields of activities, responding to the VWU-launched movement entitled “Women actively study, creatively work, build up happy families” to make contribution to the national construction, acknowledging outstanding women innovators in various fields and recognizing their contribution in the national socio-economic development, providing opportunity for women to share, exchange their information, experiences in invention and innovation as well as creating and developing their network.

International Relations Department