Gender equality to promote socio-economic development
Women in Nghe An province account for 49.14% of the workforce. To empower women to make positive contributions to society, the Vietnam Women's Union at all levels in Nghe An province has implemented numerous activities to support women in overcoming psychological barriers and gender stereotypes, enabling them to strive for self-reliance and make positive contributions to society.
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Mai HoaOctober 29, 2024
Women in Nghe An province account for 49.14% of the workforce. To empower women to take control of their lives and make positive contributions to society, the Women's Union at all levels in Nghe An province has implemented numerous activities to support women in overcoming psychological barriers and gender stereotypes.
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One of the key programs and activities of the Association at all levels. Women in Nghe An province are actively involved in raising awareness and supporting women in preventing and combating domestic violence, through many practical and effective activities.
Listen, understand, and share.
A few years after getting married, many people secretly congratulated Ms. NT in Quynh Luong commune (Quynh Luu district) on her seemingly fulfilling life. However, when her two children's health deteriorated and her and her husband's business faced difficulties, her husband's personality changed; he became frequently irritable and prone to domestic violence.
Initially, she thought about just enduring the situation and letting it pass, but after receiving advice from the Women's Association of the commune and village, Ms. NT confidently and openly shared her family's story to find a solution. She also gained knowledge and skills, enabling her to fight for what she described as "the peace of mind for herself and her children."
Also in Quynh Luong commune, Ms. TH became a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her alcoholic husband. After nearly 20 years of enduring this abuse and even falling into depression, Ms. TH said she had thought many times about leaving home with her children to escape, but she was always afraid of this and that, so she gritted her teeth and endured. After accessing information on preventing and combating domestic violence from the Women's Association of the commune, Ms. TH informed her husband's family about the abuse she was experiencing. She also learned some gentle persuasion techniques, and gradually her husband changed, becoming more loving and responsible towards his wife and children.
According to Ms. Bui Thi Thoa, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Quynh Luong commune, to reduce domestic violence, the Women's Union advised the Commune People's Committee to establish a rapid response team to prevent and combat domestic violence. This team aims to help women overcome their passive and silent attitudes and fight against domestic violence, both for themselves and their children.
The activities of the commune's rapid response team for preventing and combating domestic violence have helped many women break free from the psychological shackles of resignation and silence, enabling them to fight against domestic violence affecting themselves and their children.
Ms. Bui Thi Thoa - Chairperson of the Women's Union of Quynh Luong Commune
In Quynh Luu district, in Quynh Thang commune, along with the rapid response team, the commune also established two clubs: the "New Life" Club for victims of domestic violence and those at risk of violence (wives in the family) and the "Responsible Men" Club for perpetrators of domestic violence (husbands). Many localities in the district have established clubs such as "Prevention and Control of Domestic Violence," "Happy Family," "Family with 5 No's and 3 Cleanliness Standards," "Women and the Law," etc.; and organized online competitions to learn about preventing and combating human trafficking; preventing and combating domestic violence - including a drawing competition on preventing and combating sexual abuse...
Ms. Ho Thi Thuy Hang, Vice President of the Women's Union of Quynh Luu District, stated that the clubs and competitions all aim to raise awareness about preventing and combating domestic violence among the general public and women in particular; and to equip women with skills to "respond" to violence and prevent it from happening, or to defend themselves when violence occurs. The ultimate goal is to build prosperous, happy, and civilized families.
Efforts to change
The primary victims of domestic violence are women and children. As an organization representing and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of women, women's associations at all levels in the province have focused on raising awareness and supporting women in preventing and combating domestic violence through various practical and effective activities.
In Quy Chau district, along with promoting the dissemination of legal documents on preventing and combating domestic violence, the District Women's Union directs its branches at all levels to establish and maintain many "Prevention and Combating Domestic Violence" clubs in villages and hamlets; mobilizing officials, members, and women to participate in mediation groups and self-governing groups...
In Do Luong district, the Women's Union at all levels organizes many community communication activities on preventing and combating domestic violence in schools and residential areas; organizes forums on "Preventing domestic violence and social evils," "Exemplary mothers-in-law, filial daughters-in-law"; establishes and maintains the operation of "Mother and child" clubs, "Helping children continue their journey"; and models such as "Safe villages for women and children," and "5 no's, 3 clean" Women's Union branches (including the criteria of no domestic violence and a peaceful home).
At the provincial level, through the implementation of Project 938 on "Propaganda, education, mobilization, and support for women to participate in resolving some social issues related to women in the period 2017-2027" and Project 8 "Implementing gender equality and addressing urgent issues of women and children", women's associations at all levels in the province have organized many communication activities, training courses, dialogues, forums, competitions, and clubs on gender equality; prevention and control of domestic violence; preserving and promoting traditional cultural behavior in the family…
Many movements, campaigns, and models supporting the building of prosperous, progressive, happy, and civilized families have been implemented by women's associations at all levels in the province. Notable examples include: "Supporting women in building sustainable happy families"; "Supporting the community in preventing child abuse, child marriage, and consanguineous marriage"; "Safe villages for women and children"; "Trusted addresses in the community"; "Legal counseling groups for women and children"; "Supporting women and children affected by gender-based violence"; building families based on "5 no's, 3 clean's", "5 yes's, 3 clean's"...
Specifically for Project 8, after nearly 3 years of implementation, the entire province has established 257 "Community Communication Teams"; 28 "Trusted Addresses"; 31 "Leaders of Change" clubs; and organized 30 policy dialogues… in ethnic minority areas.
Ms. Le Thi Huong Giang, Vice President of the Provincial Women's Union, affirmed: Through these activities, awareness has been raised and some common issues facing women have been addressed, especially gender stereotypes, domestic violence, child marriage, consanguineous marriage, and legal violations. However, obstacles remain, stemming from women's psychology of resignation, shame, and reluctance to share their experiences of domestic violence. They also lack trust in anyone who can resolve their domestic violence problems. This is a problem that the Women's Union at all levels in Nghe An is continuing to address, innovating its approach, delving deeper, staying close to the people, listening, understanding, sharing, and finding solutions to prevent and reduce domestic violence, contributing to building prosperous, progressive, happy, and civilized families.
Women are often considered "weak and frail," and this is even more challenging for women with disabilities. However, through their own efforts and the support of women's associations at all levels, many have overcome adversity, turning the impossible into the possible, creating happy families, and making their lives more beautiful.
Extraordinary willpower
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, from Cau Giat town (Quynh Luu district), suffers from a speech disability, losing the ability to speak due to a hemangioma and undergoing multiple surgeries to remove the tumor when she was young.
Despite illness, emotional distress, and difficult family economic circumstances, Thanh, with the sense of responsibility of the eldest sister in the family, overcame all obstacles to help her mother find a way to make a living. After a period of selling vegetables, melons, and tofu, in 2015, she received support from the Women's Association of Quynh Luu district to build a model for purchasing, preserving, and supplying seafood.
After 9 years of starting her business, she has now invested in two cold storage facilities connected to seafood processing. Besides increasing her family's income, she has also created jobs for dozens of local workers, earning between 4 and 6 million VND per person per month. Every year, she allocates hundreds of millions of VND to support capital, donate livelihood models, and provide gifts to poor and disadvantaged households both within and outside the district. She also sponsors an orphan in An Hoa commune. In 2022, she was awarded a commemorative medal honoring female entrepreneurs with a golden heart for the community.
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Ms. Phan Thi Hien, from Dien Thai commune (Dien Chau district), suffers from a congenital mobility disability, making it very difficult for her to walk. With the mindset of "Education leads to employment, income, and self-reliance," she diligently studied, graduated from a college of pharmacy, and opened a pharmacy. Notably, using the traditional bee-shaped cake making craft from her hometown, she connected with and promoted the product on social media platforms like Facebook and Zalo.
When Dien Thai honeycomb cakes became known to consumers in the province and throughout the country, Ms. Hien boldly invested in machinery for processing; and established a production cooperative with 15 members. Her family alone produces about 4-5 tons of honeycomb cakes annually, generating an annual revenue of approximately 450 million VND. Currently, the product is in the process of completing the procedures to be recognized as an OCOP (One Commune One Product) product.
Ms. Thanh and Ms. Hien are two exemplary disabled women in Nghe An province who have overcome adversity to achieve success. They are like cacti in the sand, thriving and blooming even in the harshest conditions. These women have risen above the darkness, illuminating lives with their extraordinary willpower.
Supporting women with disabilities to thrive.
According to statistics, Nghe An province currently has over 69,000 people with disabilities, including approximately 17,000 women with disabilities. Implementing Directive No. 11 dated November 8, 2021, of the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee on assisting people with disabilities; and the Action Program implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Resolution of the 16th Congress of the Nghe An Provincial Women's Union, women's associations at all levels in the province have provided practical support to women with disabilities, creating conditions for them to participate equally in social activities.
The main activities include raising awareness and eliminating discrimination against women with disabilities; disseminating information on social welfare policies for vulnerable women so that women with disabilities can access them; providing training and guidance on technology transfer, vocational training, job placement, access to loans for economic development, entrepreneurship, and business startup…
Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and President of the Provincial Women's Union, shared: "Supporting and assisting women with disabilities 'so that no one is left behind' is one of the important tasks of the Women's Union at all levels, contributing to promoting the task of supporting women's comprehensive development and building prosperous, happy, progressive, and civilized Vietnamese families."
Currently, women's associations at all levels in Nghe An are continuing to promote activities to support women with disabilities, such as assisting them in accessing preferential capital sources for economic development, entrepreneurship, and business startups; guiding women with disabilities to participate in vocational training classes, creating jobs and stable incomes. At the same time, they are organizing connections to help women with disabilities access appropriate social services, aiming to create conditions and opportunities for equal development for women with disabilities.
In life, there areMany women are in no way inferior to men. Increasingly, there are women who are financially independent, starting successful businesses and entrepreneurs, and actively participating in social activities.
Supporting women in economic development.
In Ca village, Chau Hong commune (Quy Hop district), Ms. Luong Thi Ly is in a rather difficult situation. Having built her family from scratch, and with the addition of two children, especially her eldest son who suffers from anemia and requires monthly treatment at the provincial hospital, the family's life has become even more challenging.
In 2019, through participating in a livestock training course and receiving a bank loan managed by the Women's Union, Ms. Ly's family bought two breeding cows. From those two cows, after five years, Ms. Ly's family had 12 cows; of which 6 were sold for over 120 million VND to repay the bank loan and repair their house, and buy household items. Currently, in addition to raising 6 cows, Ms. Ly and her husband farm their fields, and with the income from their second child who is now working, their family life is stable and they have escaped poverty.
The awareness, mindset, and beliefs about life of Ms. Luong Thi Hong, from Na Ty village, Chau Thon commune (Que Phong district), have changed since participating in communication and training sessions on livestock farming, crop cultivation, and building a happy family. Since 2020, Ms. Hong has joined a cooperative raising Muscovy ducks, implemented by the Women's Union of the commune, and received support in the form of 50 ducklings and poultry feed. The first batch of ducks was profitable, and in subsequent batches, she gradually increased the flock. Currently, she raises over 300 Muscovy ducks per batch, selling over 1,200 ducks annually. After deducting expenses, her family earns approximately 60-70 million VND per year. Ms. Hong's family has also opened a grocery store, renovated their garden to grow vegetables, and dug a fish pond to improve their living standards.
According to Ms. Luong Thi Ha, President of the Women's Association of Chau Thon commune, what is admirable about Ms. Luong Thi Hong is: "From understanding her own past difficulties due to lack of knowledge and capital, Ms. Hong is very active in working with the Association to disseminate information, share experiences, and encourage women to engage in economic activities; helping women to be confident and dare to speak up, and to achieve equality in the family and society."
Supporting and facilitating women's economic development, business start-ups, and successful entrepreneurship is one of the priority tasks for women's associations at all levels in Nghe An province. Over the past three years (2021-2024), women's associations in Nghe An have supported vocational training for over 25,000 female workers, with over 20,000 finding employment after training. The associations have maintained connections and provided loan support for economic development and entrepreneurship to over 77,000 borrowers, with a total outstanding loan balance of nearly 5,000 billion VND; and supported 1,222 women in starting their own businesses.
The movement to promote economic and business activities among female cadres, members, and women in Nghe An has contributed to boosting the province's overall economic development and poverty reduction, with over 2,297 households headed by women escaping poverty. Eight cooperatives and 73 cooperative groups headed by women, with 1,200 members, have been established.
Continue to raise awareness and take action.
The Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party continued to affirm: "Promoting the traditions, potential, strengths, and the spirit of self-reliance and aspirations of all strata of women. Building the Vietnamese woman of the new era…". The Central Committee of the Party, the Politburo, and the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Party have also issued resolutions and directives on the work of female cadres, gender equality, and the advancement of women. The National Assembly has enacted the Law on Gender Equality, and the Government has issued the National Strategy on Gender Equality for the period 2021-2030 with very specific goals for gender equality.
To realize the goals, tasks, and solutions set forth by the Party, the National Assembly, and the Government regarding gender equality and the advancement of women; and to contribute to promoting the talents, intellect, and fine traditions of Vietnamese women in the new era, in addition to the involvement of women's associations at all levels, the efforts of each individual woman are also necessary. Furthermore, all levels and sectors need to focus on creating a favorable environment to promote the role of women in economic development, sustainable poverty reduction; promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, and the application of science and technology; and actively participating in the development of the digital economy, green economy, circular economy, low-carbon economy, and knowledge economy… At the same time, solutions should be implemented to plan, train, cultivate, and appoint female leaders at all levels, sectors, and fields, thereby enhancing the status of women...
Ms. Hoang Thi Thu Hien, Permanent Vice President of the Provincial Women's Union, affirmed: Although gender stereotypes have changed, the mindset and perception of gender bias still persist in many people. Even when women succeed in a certain field, they are not easily recognized as fairly as men. So how can we achieve genuine equality for women? The most important thing is to persistently promote communication efforts, changing perceptions and behaviors towards women within each family and society.
