On the morning of November 15, Binh Duong provincial Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs held a ceremony to launch Action Month for Gender Equality (GE) and gender-based violence prevention and response in Binh Duong province in 2022 with the theme: “Ensuring social security, empowering and creating opportunities for women and girls to implement GE and eliminate gender-based violence”.
Equality from family
The launching ceremony of Action Month for GE is the first activity in a series of activities to boost information dissemination and mobilization at all levels and sectors; draw attention, heighten the roles, responsibilities and active participation of individuals, families and communities in ensuring social security, empowering women and girls to promote GE, prevent and respond to violence and abuse of women and children.
Delegates take part in the launching ceremony of Action Month for Gender Equality
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hang, Deputy Director of provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the launching of Action Month for GE and gender-based violence prevention and response is indeed a necessary activity to remind people of the importance and meaning of GE and empowering women for the sustainable development goal that Vietnam has committed to.
“Activities of the action month continue to honour the roles and responsibilities of agencies, organizations, families and individuals in ensuring social security, implementing GE, and preventing violence against women and children; raise the sense of self-protection, and criticize, condemn violent acts; create a good living environment, as well as committed to fulfilling GE targets approved by the government”, said Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hang.
The launching ceremony had the participation of women of all-level Women's Union in the province. Some man officials working in different localities also attended this meaningful event.
In this program, the delegates also took part in a seminar named "Gender equality - The secret to success in the workplace, happiness of the family". Dr. Pham Thi Thuy, principal lecturer at the National Academy of Public Administration, reminded everyone to join hands for GE for the benefit of all of us. Building GE is about creating happiness in the family, cooperation in the workplace, and peace in society.
Dr. Pham Thi Thuy said that the national strategic goals on GE for 2021-2030 period are to narrow the gender gap, create favourable conditions and opportunities for women and men to take part in and enjoy equal benefits in all areas of social life, contributing to the country's sustainable development.
At the workshop, both man and woman participants expressed their views, as well as being aware of the role of GE. Love will end violence, implement GE right in their family. Those are the stories of women in this program.
Luu Thi Ai Hoa, a public worker at People's Committee of Phu An Commune (Ben Cat Town) said that she and her husband always get along. Her husband always shows interest, shares housework, and takes care of children together with her, so family happiness is always maintained.
Women are given the opportunity to develop
To address the gender gap in politics, Binh Duong province has always focused on planning, creating resources, training and fostering woman workers. In addition, the province also strengthened communication, raised understanding and appreciation of all levels, sectors and people for the role and abilities of woman civil servants to create favourable conditions for women to participate in politics.
The province organized conferences to encourage women to confidently improve their qualifications and capabilities to be able to take on leadership and management positions.
To tackle the gender gap in economic, labour and employment areas, the province enhanced job consulting and introduction activities; regularly propagated, disseminated, and examined the implementation of labour policies and laws, including policies for woman employees in enterprises.
In addition, activities to ensure GE in access and enjoyment of health care services; activities to improve the qualifications of woman workers, activities to ensure gender equality in information and communications sectors were also actively performed by the province.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hang assessed that in 2021 and the first 6 months of 2022, although the Covid-19 affected all social aspects, departments and agencies in the province took appropriate actions, actively propagated and disseminated regulations on GE to all classes of people.
Provincial Labour Confederation solely directed trade unions at all levels to continue paying attention to and guiding the implementation of GE tasks, organized many communication activities on GE and preventing combating gender-based violence. Labour Confederations at all levels also opened communication classes combined with reproductive healthcare services.
In addition, units and localities also disseminated regimes and laws related to woman employees. The participation of the whole society has created a positive effect, contributing to shortening the gender gap in most fields.
In 2021-2025 period, the province attained positive results in implementing GE targets. In which, the percentage of woman participants in political office increased compared to the previous term.
Specifically, the percentage of women participating in Party committees at all levels reached 30.52%; the rate of women elected to the provincial 15th National Assembly’s delegation reached 20%; the percentage of women elected to People's Council at all levels of the province 2021-2026 reached 31.94%.
Besides, the number of domestic violence cases decreased over the years; 100% of victims and perpetrators of violence received counselling and support; sex ratio at birth is kept under 105 boys per 100 girls.
Reported by Hong Thai - Translated by Ngoc Huynh
