Viet Nam – Colombia exchange experiences to promote gender equality

At the meeting, Ms. Minh Huong expressed her appreciation for the warm sentiments that the Government and people of Colombia have shown toward Viet Nam. She also gave an overview of the role, position, and significant contributions of Vietnamese women in the cause of national construction and development. She emphasized that the VWU always attaches great importance to expanding international relations, particularly with countries in the Latin American region such as Colombia, in order to learn from one another’s experiences and share common values related to gender equality and sustainable development.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Huong, Vice President of VWU (the right) welcomed Ms. Camila María Polo Floréz, Ambassador of Colombia to Viet Nam

In response, Ambassador Camila María Polo Floréz affirmed that Viet Nam is an important partner of Colombia in Southeast Asia. She expressed her admiration for the achievements Vietnamese women have made across various fields, including politics, economy, culture, and society. Despite the geographical distance, women of the two countries share a common trait: resilience and perseverance, as well as their important roles both within the family and in society. This shared spirit serves as a “bond” linking the two sides toward practical and meaningful cooperation programs.

The two sides exchanged views on some key topics, including the enhancement of women’s economic empowerment, the protection of women’s rights and the elimination of violence against women. Ms. Minh Huong shared information on the successful advocacy for the “Supporting Women’s Startups” Project and capacity-building schemes for women business owners which are implemented by the VWU. The Colombian side expressed particular interest in Viet Nam’s mechanisms for operating credit funds to support women, as well as inter-sectoral coordination in creating value chains for women-led products. They also proposed opportunities for exchanging experiences in formulating policies to support rural women and disadvantaged groups.

Ms. Camila María Polo Floréz, Ambassador of Colombia to Viet Nam

With the aim of advancing gender equality and delivering practical benefits for women in both countries, the two sides discussed the possible cooperation in the near future, including exchanging experts on gender equality, co-organization of women’s economic forums, and  strengthening mutual support at international forums such as the United Nations and other multilateral mechanisms.

Delagates at the meeting