Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Luong Minh made this statement at the third Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on the Advancement of Women which took place from February 12-14 in Doha, Qatar.

Delegates discussed the challenges to promoting the advancement of women and shared experiences and initiatives of dealing with difficulties. They approved the Doha Declaration and Program of Action, reiterating NAM member countries' commitment to enhance women’s roles in every field and boost cooperation to achieve the bloc's common goals.

In his speech at the meeting, Vietnamese Deputy FM Minh praised NAM members’ efforts in implementing the 2009 Guatemala Declaration and Program of Action on the Advancement of Women and welcomed the establishment of a UN Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality, describing this as an impetus for promoting global gender equality.

In the context of the global economic downturn, violence and conflicts in some regions of the world, Mr Minh raised his concern about the challenges facing developing countries in boosting socio-economic development, promoting gender equality and improving the lives of women and children.

He called on NAM members to bring women’s roles in society into full play, turn the commitments adopted at this Doha meeting into specific actions, maintain a peaceful, stable and favourable environment for sustainable development and help women contribute more to society.

Vietnamese women are now more involved in political life, and social and family affairs. Seventy eight percent of women are engaged in economic activities and nearly 25 percent of the National Assembly (NA) deputies are women

Regarding the importance of boosting regional and international cooperation for the advancement of women in the world, Deputy FM Minh said Vietnam has actively cooperated in the advancement of women and children within ASEAN including the adoption of the 2010 Hanoi Statement on Social Welfare and Development for Women and Children and the establishment of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC).

Mr Minh added that, as an active NAM member, Vietnam will continue its efforts and share experience with other members to effectively implement the Doha Declaration and Program of Action.