WTO honours Vietnamese university for gender equality in trade
Vietnam’s Foreign Trade University (FTU) received a special recognition from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at the awards ceremony of the International Prize for Gender Equality in Trade held at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 2.
Trinh Thu Huong, director of the WTO Chairs Programme at the university, said the programme has built a broad and strong network of partners, including central agencies such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the Vietnamese Mission in Geneva, domestic industry associations, international organisations, universities, and research centres.
Promoting gender equality in trade has been a key priority throughout the programme’s implementation, she stressed, noting that besides incorporating gender issues into academic content, the programme also seeks to create inclusive opportunities for women in research, education, and trade policy-making.
The programme also offers flexible and accessible training, enabling women, including those in remote areas or those caring for young children, to access trade-related knowledge and enhance their capacities, she added.
Based on an evaluation framework with eight criteria, the award recognises the most effective gender-responsive policies that contribute to responsible national trade policy, export programmes, or trade support projects adopted and implemented by WTO members and observers to promote women's participation in trade and economic empowerment.
Minister Counsellor Pham Quang Huy, deputy head of Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to Geneva, affirmed that the award serves as a great source of encouragement not only for FTU but also for the Vietnamese Government in further promoting gender-responsive policy-making and implementation, especially in advancing sustainable women's empowerment, including economic empowerment.
He affirmed that Vietnam’s Permanent Mission to Geneva is committed to working closely with members of the WTO Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender to promote gender equality in trade, expressing the hope to share Vietnam’s other good practices within the group.
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