He made the remark at a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in New York on February 11, which gathered representatives from UN member states and international female astronauts, including Amanda Nguyen, who could soon become the first Vietnamese-origin woman to travel to space.

Representing the Asia-Pacific region, Giang stressed that women’s progress hinges on the respect for the right to equality, diversity, and inclusivity, as well as empowerment, enabling women not only to participate but also to take on leadership roles, drive innovation, and catalyse meaningful changes.

With conflicts, violence, and discrimination still affecting women in many places globally, he called on the international community to boost actions to dismantle barriers and create an environment where women and girls can engage in and contribute more to science.

The ambassador also underscored Vietnam’s efforts and achievements in promoting gender equality and creating equal opportunities for women to contribute to different aspects of society, particularly in science, innovation, and technology.

Amanda Nguyen’s perseverance in overcoming adversity to pursue her dream of space travel is a testament to the intellect, capability, and resilience of Vietnamese women, Giang noted.

Progress seen in gender equality promotion in Vietnam: official

Vietnam has made considerable progress in promoting gender equality over the past years, and the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) has been applying itself to this work, said VWU Vice President Nguyen Thi Minh Huong.