Women’s role in sustainable development highlighted
Women should be encouraged to carry forward their strength and contribute to national development and sustainable development in general, heard a forum in Hanoi on March 10.
The forum, themed “Promoting the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) from a gender perspective,” was jointly held by the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
In the spirit of the resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, the VWU will work to further promote the role and contributions of women to the country’s rapid, sustainable development, said VWU President Ha Thi Nga.
The forum offers an opportunity for delegates to share experience and initiatives in realising the SDGs, especially the goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment, according to the official.
The VWU will make greater efforts in implementing programmes, projects and activities to support startups by women, enhance women’s role in new-style rural area building, promote women’s participation in politics, and prevent and combat gender violence, Nga pledged.
Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, said Vietnam is one of the countries that have exerted great efforts in enhancing gender equality in Asia-Pacific, saying the country has a wonderful opportunity to prove its leadership in this regard amidst the COVID-19 spread.
The UN stands ready to support the Vietnamese people and government in the work, he said.
According to Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Van Trung, despite the impact of the pandemic, Vietnam still ranked 49th out of 199 countries in gender equality in 2020. In ASEAN, the country only ranked behind Thailand.
He suggested creating equal employment opportunities for women in all sectors, and consulting public opinions, particularly disadvantaged women, so that their needs and wishes are reflected in policies and laws.
