On 4th September, the Central Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) hold a Press Conference at its head office on the Tenth National Women’s Congress to be held soon in the 1st week of October 2007.

From 26 – 29 June 2007, in the Center for Women and Development, Hanoi, Ethnics and Religions Department (the Central Union) organized training for 120 Union’s staff from 12 provinces, 86 districts in Northern mountainous areas

To enhance the capacity of VWU’s senior officers in the period of widely and deeply international integration after Vietnam has become an official member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Central Vietnam Women’s Union together with the Israel Embassy in Vietnam and the International Cooperation Center of the Israel Foreign Affair Department organized 2 training courses on “Leadership, Management and the Media” in Ho Chi Minh City (from 30/7 to 3/8/2007) and in Hanoi (from 6-10/8/2007).

On the occasion of 15th anniversary of TYM Fund (1992-2007), many braches have organized an wide range of ebullient and practical activities starting in Me Linh branch (Vinh Phuc province), then in Quang Xuong (Thanh Hoa ), Kim Dong (Hung Yen) and will be ending in Nghi Loc branch (Nghe An province) on August 31st.

Within the framework of the official visit to Viet Nam, in the afternoon of 31 July, the delegation of the Communist Party of Spain headed by Mr. Jose Luis Centella, member of Standing Committee, Central Secretary, Head of the Central Foreign Affairs Department visited the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU).

The trafficking of women and children within the Greater Mekong Sub-region was at the top of the agenda at a forum in Hanoi on July 12-13.

From 7 to 10 June, the Vietnam Women’s Union organized a training seminar for more than 70 participants who are speakers from 31 Northern Provincial and Municipal Women’s Unions. Taking part in training are experts from international organizations and a number of related ministries and branches.

Bac Ninh Women’s Union has organized the review conference on 3-year conducting entrusted loan service with the Social Policy Bank for poor households and other beneficiaries in 2004-2006 phase.

In the cause of industrialization and modernization, with the goal of basically turning Vietnam into a modern and industrial country by 2020 (as mentioned in the 10th National Party’s Congress), many provinces and cities have rolled out “red carpet” for investors, forming dynamic industrial zones, bringing a break-through economic developing speed for the province.

On 21st May, 2007, Mme. Ha Thi Khiet, Chairperson of the NCFAW, President of the VWU warmly received Mme. Anne Stenhammer- State Secretary of the Kingdom of Norway. The two sides exchanged information on gender equality, especially women’s participation in politics.

After nearly 3 years working in Vietnam, the United State Ambassador, Mr. Michael W. Marine, visited the VWU for the first time. Mrs. Ha Thi Khiet, member of Central Communist Party Committee, VWU’s President, and Chairwoman of NCFAW welcomed him.

With 75% of the population living in the rural area and working in agriculture sector,

After 3 years implementing entrusted loans for poor households as signed between VWU and Social Policy Bank (SPB) in Bac Kan in 2003 – 2006 period, the total amount of all kinds of entrusted loans managed by provincial WU at all levels is over 122 billion VND, providing for 21,758 WU’s members.

In the morning of 23 April, 2007 the 4th World Congress of Rural Women with the theme “United in our diversity: Working together towards the total emancipation of rural women from poverty and hunger” was held by Ministry of Agriculture and Land Affairs of South Africa at the International Convention Centre in Durban.

On 14 March 2007, at VWU’s Head Quarter, VWU signed an Agreement on the project between Vietnam Women’s Union and Saving Banks Foundation for International Cooperation of Germany/Sparkasse Essen Bank (Germany) and CARD (Philippines)

In preparation for the 12th National Assembly Election, the Standing Committee of Dong Nai WU has worked out a plan to guide WU of all levels in the province in organizing communication activities for the 12th National Assembly Election.

This program was implemented effectively under the direction of the Women’s Union at all levels in Nam Dinh province in term 2001 – 2006. This helps to reduce the rate of poor household to 11.2% in the whole province.

In the morning April 6th 2007 the National Committee for the Advancement of Women in coordination with the Central Commission for Culture and Ideology organized Seminar on “The 12th National Assembly Election and Gender Equality”, many journalists in Hanoi and central news agencies attended.

At the end of 2003, the Hanoi City Women’s Union signed a joint document with the Social Policy Bank on conducting entrusted loan service for poor households and beneficiaries.

With the agreement of 73% deputies of National Assembly, the 11th National Assembly approved the Law on Gender Equality at its 10th Meeting which shows the interest of the highest power authority of the State on gender equality and development of women in Vietnam.

In the morning of 4th March, in the Hanoi children’s cultural Palace, the VWU together with the Hanoi City Women’s Union organized a solemn meeting and the City women’s Cultural day to celebrate 97th the International Women’s Day 8 March, the 1967th year of Hai Ba Trung’s rising and welcome the 14th Congress of the Women’s International Democratic Federation.

VWU marked the 97th International Women’s Day March 8th and 1967th anniversary of an uprising led by Hai Ba Trung (the two Trung ladies) at the Center of Women’s Development

In the evening of March 8th, at National Conference Centre, in celebration of the 97th of International Women’s Day March 8th, the Vietnam Women’s Union, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) coordinated with the Vietnam Television to organize a ceremony to mark the International Women’s Day (March 8th) and to award the Golden Rose Prize for Excellent Business Women.

Bac Yen district (Son La province) has 7 ethnic groups, of which Mong people consist of 50% of the population.

In the morning 2nd February, the 2006 Review Conference on disbursement of entrusted loans for poor household and beneficiaries was organized at the VWU’s Headquarter. VWU’s Vice President Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, member of Central Committee of the Party, Vice President Nguyen Thi Kim Lien, General Director of Social Policy Bank Ha Thi Hanh, Deputy General Director of Social Policy Bank Nguyen Van Tan, as well as staff of VWU and Social Policy Bank attended the meeting

OUTCOMES OF 11th WOMEN LEADERS’ NETWORK MEETING AT THE 13th MEETING OF APEC MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR SMEs

28 – 29th Sept. Hanoi Vietnam

“Towards a Dynamic Community: Enhancing the Competitiveness of Women’s Business for Sustainable Development and Prosperity”

Distinguished guests,

Name: Ha Thi Khiet

Successful experience in doing business

Contribution of Vietnamese enterprises in socio-economic development of the locality

Role of the Vietnam Women’s Union in supporting women entrepreneurs

Trade promotion and integration development

Mme. Ha Thi Khiet – Member of the Central Party Committee
President of the Vietnam Women’s Union, President of the National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Vietnam

Wenling Su currently is the section chief for the Division of Entrepreneurship and Incubation in Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Chinese Taipei.

Introduction

“In the old days, it was unheard of for a woman to hold a position equal to men. It used to be the woman’s role to be by her husband’s side outside the home. The home was seen to be the only place where she can wield authority.

Date of birth: July 28, 1951
Married with 4 children

Ms Chair-Person, distinguished delegates,

My presentation will focus on reviewing the status and prospect of the existing micro-credit institutions and facilities and presenting some ways for reinforcing micro-credit with the view to expediting the rapid growth and development of women-owned micro enterprises (ME).

Pen name: Hyun Yang

Date of Birth: November 6, 1942

Promote Entrepreneurship of Women in Cities by Micro-Credit

Title: Deputy Director-General, International Liaison Department, All-China Women’s Federation.

DATO’ KALSOM BINTI ABDUL RAHMAN, is the Chairman of Small and Medium Industries Development Corporation (SMIDEC), an agency under MITI, responsible for the development of SMEs and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Invest-In-Penang Berhad.

Women’s small and medium entreprises – path to overcome poverty and to ensure sustainable development

Date of birth: 09/03/1961

Patrice Braun is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional Innovation & Competitiveness (CRIC) at the University of Ballarat, which has a focus on small business and community capacity building; the adoption and use of ICT technologies; regional clustering and networks; demand and integrated resource management for regions.

Patrice Braun is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Regional Innovation & Competitiveness (CRIC) at the University of Ballarat, which has a focus on small business and community capacity building; the adoption and use of ICT technologies; regional clustering and networks; demand and integrated resource management for regions.

Business operation modes have changed dramatically due to trade liberalization, globalization and the development of the knowledge-based economy. These changes have in turn changed the kinds of employment and start-up venture opportunities for women, so that women can play a bigger role than before in economic and social development.

Education:
Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan: BA Public Finance (1969)

“Development and Introduction of the Legislation Facilitating Progress in Business and Consideringthe Interests of Business Ladies. Improved Activity of Business Ladies in the Globalization Context”

Date of birth: 05/11/1951

Policy environment in Vietnam promote enterprise development

Ms. Pham Chi Lan is an economy expert. She was a member of the Prime Minister’s Research Board since 1996 and became a full–time expert of the Board from May 2003 until the Board’s closing in August 2006.

Virginia Littlejohn is co-founder, President and CEO of Quantum Leaps, Inc., a non-profit global accelerator for women’s entrepreneurship based in Washington DC, which uses technology to develop and disseminate knowledge and facilitate the sharing of best practices. Ms. Littlejohn has been the OECD’s Senior Advisor for Women’s Entrepreneurship since 1995.

Current Position: Founder and President of MedicalChain International orporation

At the beginning of her career she worked in financial areas, in companies as Indugas and Corporacion de Televisión of Universidad de Chile. Later in banking market, Republic National Bank of New York. Then she was dedicated at marketing activities, Indus S.A.

Dr. Nafis Sadik, a national of Pakistan, is Special Adviser to the UN retary-General and his Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. Educated at Loreto College (Calcutta) she received her Doctor of Medicine degree from Dow Medical College (Karachi).

HIV/AIDS – a Threat to Women and Girls in the Asia-Pacific Region

Name: Hoang Thi Dung ( Dzung)

Corporate Affairs Director

Legal & Corporate Affairs department, Microsoft Taiwan

In 1965, when I graduated from college, life for women in the United States was extremely different than it is today. At that time when those women graduated from the university, they often immediately took a secretarial course so that they could become secretaries to male bosses while they spent most of their time strategically planning how to meet a man to marry.

Director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Center of VCCI (SME PC)

Director of entreprises Development foundation (EDF)

Vice-Excecutive Chairwoman of Women Entrepreuneurs Council of VCCI ( VWEC)

Dr. Lorna Wright is Associate Professor of International Business at the Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, Canada, and also currently Visiting Professor at School of Commerce and Accountancy, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok Thailand.

September 19, 2006

Age: 57 years

The third plenary session chaired by Ms Ton Nu Thi Ninh started with the presentation of the Outcome Reports by the three (3) rapporteurs on the three (3) sub-themes, followed by the discussion of common issues and ended with the Chairperson’s Summary.

Recommendations from APEC Forum on Digital Economy for Women 2006

“Innovation and Leadership”

Ha Long Bay September 16—17, 2006

Academic Qualification: Bachelor of Economics (Honours), 1974, University Malaya.

Kristy Hsu is an associate research fellow at the Chinese Taipei WTO Center, Chung Hua Institution for Economic Research in Chinese Taipei. Before she joined the Center in August 2003, she was the Executive Secretary of Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center, and served as the APEC Gender Focal Point of Chinese Taipei from 1998 to 2003.

Francine is owner of Whiteduck Resources Inc. a company with over 20 years experience in designing, managing and delivering evaluation and analysis for various organizations in Canada with special expertise in education, business and economic development.

Title: “Creating a business enabling and gender sensitive legal environment for women to develop business in the context of globalization”.

M.P for Ba Ria – Vung Tau

Vice-chair, Foreign Affairs Committee

National Assembly of S.R. Viet Nam

In 2006, women's union at all levels in Long An province mobilized and managed VND 160 billion and supported nearly 32,000 households with loans for production.

This year marks the beginning of the second decade, being the 11th anniversary of the Women Leaders Network (WLN) which was launched in Manila in October 1996. Since then we have worked together as an effective international network to promote the integration of gender as a cross-cutting issue within the context of APEC processes, programs, projects and systems.

Dr. Amelou Benitez Reyes, president and life-time trustee of The Philippine Women’s University, continues the Benitez tradition of service to the nation as the University’s 8th president and 4th Philwomenian alumna to occupy this top post. She is also the 2nd president of PWC of Davao.

Brief introduction: Gender expert with comprehensive experience in the conceptualization, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of gender included planning and programs in the educational system, reproductive health supply and working women’s organizations. Extended experience in mainstreaming gender perspective into national and international policies and planning, with comprehensive experience in the academic field, in research and teaching, and as a consultant for project evaluation.