The project is the result of a collaboration between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Justus Liebig University (Germany), with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
Attending the seminar were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Thanh Truong - Vice Rector; representatives of the leadership, lecturers, students, and postgraduate researchers of the Faculty of International Studies and many other faculties in the university; Dr. Detlef Briesen - Justus Liebig GieBen University, co-editor of the Report; and Mr. Michael Siegner - Head Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Vietnam.
The seminar attracted the participation of many scientists and managers from ministries, departments, and research institutions: Mr. Nghiem Xuan Nam - Deputy Director of the Gender Equality Department, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs; Ms. Thao Griffiths - Director of Public Policy in Vietnam Market, Asia-Pacific Office, Meta Company; Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet - Former Vice President of the Vietnam Women's Union; Dr. Lailufar Yasmin - Head of the Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Dr. Duong Kim Anh - Deputy Director, Vietnam Women's Academy,...
In his opening remarks, Associate Professor Dr. Dao Thanh Truong affirmed the admirable qualities of Vietnamese women throughout the nation's history, dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to the preservation and development of the country. However, in the context of modern society and current integration, promoting the role and contributions of women in many fields still faces certain difficulties. Therefore, comprehensive and holistic research on women and gender equality plays a crucial role. The research results presented in the annual national report "Women in Vietnamese Society" provide an objective perspective and propose recommendations for building and strengthening gender equality.
Sharing the same viewpoint, Mr. Michael Siegner, Head Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Vietnam, also affirmed the importance of the seminar's topic, stating that it is one of the pressing issues that needs attention and assessment in Vietnam. He also expressed his hope for the achievements gained throughout the report's completion, believing that with everyone's collective efforts, after today's discussions, more ideas and awareness about gender equality will be disseminated to a wider audience.
According to Dr. Detlef Briesen, co-editor of the report, the main objective is to provide the public with information on the situation of women in Vietnam regarding issues such as the realities, conditions, and lives of women in Vietnamese society, the difficulties, and efforts to improve gender equality. Through this, it aims to answer the question: Why is the status of women in Vietnamese society higher than that of women in other Southeast Asian countries? Dr. Detlef Briesen argues that while Vietnamese women in the modern era have achieved certain rights and positions in society, a segment of ethnic minorities still lacks access to support for gender equality, and inadequacies in women's leadership positions persist. Given these challenges, the authors Detlef Briesen, Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, and Pham Quang Minh have made recommendations focusing on solutions to issues such as: violence against women, better monitoring of gender equality, improving women's access to technology, and stricter oversight of human resource policies regarding women's advancement.
Representing the government's perspective on gender equality, Mr. Nghiem Xuan Nam shared positive views on the issue, affirming the improvement of laws and draft laws that ensure women's rights. Most notably, the law against domestic violence has been expanded to include 16 types of acts to ensure the safety of women and children within marriage. In addition, laws such as social insurance, employment law are being reformed, and the gender transition law is under study. In 2023, the National Assembly will discuss the results of gender equality implementation at its annual session, promising to bring many benefits to girls and women in the future. However, he also shared the difficulties encountered due to the new nature of the field, and therefore a long-term strategy and commitment are needed to bring about the earliest and most positive impacts on Vietnamese society today.
As the Director of Public Policy at Meta, and having held various positions, Ms. Thao Griffiths emphasizes the crucial importance of gender sensitivity in daily life. She affirms the significant influence of women in the current workforce and the necessity of policies supporting women's development. She believes that women in leadership and professional roles should be given opportunities to stand alongside men in meetings and public appearances. She argues that this will have a positive impact, leading to positive changes in public perception of women's abilities and value in modern society, and serving as inspiration for younger generations regarding gender equality.
“What have we achieved in gender equality? And what can we hope to achieve in the future?” – this was the question posed by Dr. Detlef Briesen at the seminar. He emphasized that gender inequality is a global issue, and that while gender equality is increasingly being promoted, absolute gender equality will create specific challenges in the future. Therefore, a report on the Vietnamese labor market is expected to be published in July 2023, promising a deeper look into the formal and informal markets, analyzing the roles of different groups, especially women. He also expressed hope that these reports will bring about positive changes for women who still face many injustices in many parts of the world.
