Students talk gender equality at Hanoi dialogue

The event was held at the Hanoi University of Law by the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) Central Committee, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) Central Committee, and UN Women Vietnam.

It focused on basic gender equality issues of international and national laws, Vietnamese women’s role in the new period, employment discrimination, new manifestations of violence against women, female leadership and decision-making roles, and women’s sexual and reproductive health.

Talking to participating students, VWU Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thu Ha said the potential and standing of Vietnamese women are increasing. They have their own political organisation, namely the VWU. Vietnam is also among those nations having the highest rates of female parliamentarians in the world, with figures still growing in the country.

First Secretary of the HCYU Central Committee Le Quoc Phong affirmed that helping to ensure gender equality is one of the key tasks of the HCYU, the Vietnam Youth Federation, and the Vietnamese Students’ Association.

In recent years, they have increased activities to promote communications about the role of HCYU female members and support those with disadvantages across the nation, especially girls in remote areas. They have actively coordinated with the VWU and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in gender equality issues.

The organisations have also presented exclusive awards for women, he added.

At the dialogue, head of the UN Women Vietnam Office Elisa Fernandez Saenz called for the young to join hands in resolving problems related to domestic violence. 

She encouraged them to take part in campaigns and educational programmes on improving problem-solving skills so as to minimise conflicts in all circumstances.

Additionally, gender equality is also reflected in women’s full participation in the labour market, which not only creates equal opportunities for women, but also brings benefits to people of all genders, she noted.