The event, titled “Justice Without Barriers: Empowering Women and Youth in Law and Leadership,” took place at the headquarters of Vietnam’s mission as part of a series of side events of the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

The dialogue brought together Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha, head of the Vietnamese delegation, ambassadors and delegation leaders attending the session, as well as representatives from UN agencies, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and scholars.

Three international speakers joined the discussion, including Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls; Nigerian women’s rights advocate Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi, Executive Director of the Stand to End Rape Initiative (STER); and activist Amanda Nguyen, founder and CEO of the Rise organisation in the US.

Delivering opening remarks online, Ambassador Do Hung Viet, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, stressed that ensuring access to justice for women and girls is crucial to promoting gender equality and sustainable development.

He noted that despite significant progress in recent years, women and youth continue to face barriers when accessing legal systems and support services. Viet affirmed Vietnam’s strong commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering women through ongoing improvements to its legal framework and policies.

These efforts include promoting women’s participation and leadership across various sectors, enhancing education opportunities, and narrowing the gender digital gap so that women and girls can better access information, services and legal protection mechanisms.

At the dialogue, speakers shared diverse perspectives on challenges women and girls encounter in seeking justice. These obstacles include gaps in legal systems, limited legal aid services, and discrepancies between policy commitments and their implementation in practice.

Participants also underscored the role of women and young people in advancing institutional reforms, advocating policy changes and raising social awareness. Strengthening their engagement, they said, can help create a more inclusive legal environment and promote equal opportunities in leadership and decision-making.

The discussion highlighted the importance of building fair and inclusive legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws and practices, and enhancing accountability and law enforcement mechanisms to better safeguard the rights of women and girls worldwide.

Vietnam calls for stronger cooperation to enhance women’s role in economic life

Vietnam has voiced its commitment to promoting women’s empowerment and strengthening international cooperation to enhance women’s role in economic life, especially by connecting women working in science, innovation, and business to help them become pioneers in emerging fields.