Vietnam attends at UN’s largest meeting on gender equality

Dung is scheduled to deliver a speech on Vietnam’s achievements in ensuring social welfare, and make proposals to promote social welfare and empowerment for women and narrow the gender gap on March 12.

The 12-day session is being attended by more than 100 other ministers, several vice presidents and deputy prime ministers and representatives from different non-governmental organisations and UN offices.

Discussions will focus on social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director, cited the fact that 740 million women are working with little or no social protection and access to public services, and up to 131 million girls have no chance to go to school.

In addition, women only enjoy three quarters of the rights that men do, and nearly 830 women die daily due to preventable reasons related to child-bearing, she stated.

The UN official also pointed to the silver lining in gender equality and women’s rights, including 274 laws and regulations in support of gender equality approved in 131 countries over the past decade, 80 percent of women in low-income and middle-income countries using mobile phones, and 48 percent of women gaining access to the internet on mobile phones.

Only 11 years remain to achieve the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals 2030, including Gender Equality Goal 5. If the current slow pace of change continues, it will take 108 years to close the gender gap, she added.

During this session, UN Secretary General António Guterres will hold a dialogue with representatives from civil organisations on gender equality and related work carried out by the UN.

A meeting between activists for women’s rights and the press, photo exhibitions and a dialogue for young people on the session’s theme will also take place.