Hanoi kicks off action month on gender equality

The Hanoi Women's Union on November 27 held a ceremony to launch a month of action for gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence with the theme “Ensuring social security, empowering and creating opportunities for women and girls to achieve gender equality and eliminate gender-based violence”.

Speaking at the event, the Chairwoman of the Hanoi Women's Union, Le Kim Anh, emphasized the need to mobilize resources to implement activities in response to the action month, expand communication activities and support the victims, especially women and children.

She said that the union had promoted gender equality for the advancement of women and the narrowed gender gap in politics, the economy, employment, education, health services, and family life.

In addition, the union has been working with local agencies to conduct training activities to raise awareness among members and women on preventing domestic violence and abuse against women and children.

Delegates respond to action month for gender equality and violence prevention. Photo: Thien Tam

"Many models have been developed for building happy families, preventing violence, encouraging men to share chores with women, and many positive and effective activities have been achieved," Anh said.

However, the task still faces many challenges, and rapid urbanization has led to many immigrant laborers in the city. Therefore, ensuring employment and social security conditions for immigrant groups, including female workers, is an arduous task.

Besides, the ratio of gender imbalance at birth is still high, and violence against women and children is becoming increasingly complicated. Localities should diversify forms of training to raise gender awareness, gender equality, prevention, and control of violence against women and children, Anh said.

In addition, it is necessary to strengthen interdisciplinary inspection on gender equality for the advancement of women in workplaces and strictly handle violations, she added.

According to Hanoi's Department of Culture and Sports, in three years from 2019 to 2021, the city has 387 domestic violence cases, of which the victims are mainly women.

The Hanoi People's Court reported that in three years, from 2019 to 2021 and the first six months of 2022, it handled 283 cases of child sexual abuse and convicted 305 defendants.

Stronger efforts 

Earlier, the national action month on gender equality and gender-based violence prevention and the response was launched in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on November 12 by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in Vietnam.

Lasting from November 15 to December 15 with the theme of “Ensuring social security, empowering and creating opportunities for women and girls to achieve gender equality and eliminate violence against women and girls”, the action month once again affirms Vietnam's priorities and commitments in promoting practical progress in the matter.

In the past two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to increased inequality, with women and girls suffering more disadvantages. That is why the group, particularly pregnant women and children orphaned by the pandemic, has been prioritized with greater assistance in Vietnam's support policies targeting people affected by Covid-19.

Data shows that in Vietnam, two out of three married women (almost 63%) have experienced one or more forms of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. National Action Month is an opportunity for all stakeholders and citizens to take practical steps to eliminate gender-based discrimination and violence.

The United Nations is committed to continuing to support Vietnam in promoting gender equality, eliminating discrimination and gender-based violence, and moving towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, according to the UN Women Vietnam.