Hanoi youth shake it on the streets for love

Six teams of Vietnamese youth danced and sang on Dinh Tien Hoang walking street, informing passers-by about gender equality and freedom of choice. Attracted by the joyful dance and songs, many local inhabitants and tourists joined the teams by singing and dancing with them.

“Vietnamese Women’s Day on October 20 or the International Women’ Day on March 8 shouldn’t be only the occasion to honour women. But I think that they are an occasion to honour love, respect and mutual support between family members, friends and lovers. Let’s make this day meaningful for both women and men,” said Vu Phuong Thao, Deputy Director of the Institute for Studies of Society, Economics and Environment (iSEE), the organising committee.

"This event was organised to raise awareness about the true meaning of love. Love someone doesn’t mean that we put pressure on someone and expect him/her do what we want, but it means that we respect and support his/her choice, so that both women and men are free to develop their personal ability and live happily with their choice,” she added.

A newly released report by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the Vietnam’s Institute for Family and Gender Studies, warns of the possibility of a rise in gender inequality in Vietnam.

This inequality is caused by inflexible community opinions (preconceived ideas) about the role of men and women at home and in the society.

Dance for Love was the newly founded WEQUAL’s first event. The organisation works on gender equality, with the support of iSEE and Oxfam in Vietnam, as well as of Hanoi’s authorities.