Conference to share experiences in implementing the "Accompanying Women in Border Areas" Program in the Central Vietnam emulation cluster.
On the morning of April 18th, the Nghe An Provincial Women's Union – the leading unit of the Central Provinces Emulation Cluster – organized a conference to share experiences from the past four years of implementing the "Accompanying Women in Border Areas" program, launched by the Vietnam Women's Union and the Border Guard Command.
Attending the conference were Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Dung – Member of the Presidium, Head of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union; leaders of the Women's Union of 6 provinces and cities in the North Central region: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Hue city; leaders of the Border Guard Command of Nghe An province and Con Cuong district.
Nearly 57 billion VND raised for women in border areas.
In her opening remarks at the conference, Comrade Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, President of the Nghe An Provincial Women's Union, and Head of the Central Region Emulation Cluster - informed that the Central Region Emulation Cluster comprises 6 provinces and cities (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Hue City) with 89 border communes in 22 districts.
Of these, Nghe An province has the highest number of border communes with 27; Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri provinces each have 16 communes; Hue city has 12 communes; and Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces each have 9 communes.
Implementing the "Accompanying Women in Border Areas" program in two phases, from 2018 to 2020 and from 2021 to 2025, women's associations at all levels in six provinces and cities have proactively coordinated with the Border Guard Command and each border guard post stationed in the area, while also leveraging the support of departments, agencies, and organizations within the political system, as well as individuals, to create a combined strength and mobilize resources to care for and support cadres, members, and women.
As a result, from 2021 to the present, women's associations at all levels in the Central Region Emulation Cluster have connected and mobilized nearly 57 billion VND in resources to support members and women in border areas through specific activities, such as supporting the construction of 634 livelihood models; 96 "Houses of Love"; building 214 public works, kindergartens, water supply, and toilets; donating 112 bicycles; and 10 computer sets to women's associations in border communes…
In addition, women's associations at all levels in the 6 provinces and cities in the Central Region Emulation Cluster actively connected and mobilized resources to support families of officials, members, and women who faced risks or difficult circumstances, including those classified as poor, with a total of 22,365 gift packages.
Free medical examinations and medication distribution are also actively carried out by women's associations in coordination with healthcare units in border communes.
Many communication and awareness-raising activities for officials, members, and women are implemented by women's associations at all levels through forums, workshops, conferences, training courses, and the establishment and maintenance of clubs on law, child rearing, building happy families, knowledge of livestock farming, crop cultivation, and service provision, etc.; linked with creating conditions for officials, members, and women to access capital sources and develop family economies.
The Chairwoman of the Nghe An Provincial Women's Union, Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa, also affirmed: The practical and concrete support from women's unions at all levels, along with the Border Guard force, has contributed to creating a new change in awareness, thinking, and actions among cadres, members, and women in the six provinces and cities of the Central region; contributing to improving and enhancing the quality of life for women's families, while promoting the implementation of poverty alleviation and changing the face of border areas in each locality.
At the conference, representatives from the six provinces and cities in the Central Region Emulation Cluster discussed, exchanged, and shared many good practices and effective models, as well as many difficulties and challenges; they also suggested and proposed solutions to further promote and spread the "Accompanying Women in Border Areas" program in a way that is both in-depth and broad, and sustainable in the future.
Focus on raising awareness among women in border areas.
Speaking at the conference, Comrade Nguyen Thi Kim Dung – Member of the Presidium, Head of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union – highly appreciated the positive, responsible, and creative implementation of the "Accompanying Women in Border Areas" Program through specific and practical activities and actions of the Women's Unions of the 6 provinces and cities in the Central region's emulation cluster.
Sharing the difficulties and limitations of border regions, ethnic minorities in general, and female cadres, members, and women in particular, the Head of the Central Propaganda Department of the Vietnam Women's Union, Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, also emphasized several areas that need to be further implemented. The focus is on strengthening communication activities through various creative forms and methods, both to gather and attract a large number of female cadres, members, and women to participate, and to raise awareness in all aspects for female members and women in border regions, while also paying attention to eradicating illiteracy.
Focus on mobilizing resources to support women in border areas; in providing support, identify key areas that are effective and have a widespread impact; especially supporting economic development through the construction of sustainable livelihood models and using economic activities to raise awareness and understanding in all aspects for officials and members.
Local authorities have also agreed on a common viewpoint: "Accompanying" means going hand in hand, providing support from women's associations at all levels and the Border Guard to cadres, members, and women in border communes, in order to awaken the spirit of self-reliance, self-improvement, and the will to strive for progress, developing the internal strengths of cadres, members, and women in border areas to create sustainable development and overcome the situation of waiting and relying on policies and "free" support.
As part of the conference program, women's associations from six provinces and cities in the Central Region Emulation Cluster visited, encouraged, and presented gifts to officers and soldiers at Mon Son Border Guard Station.
The delegation also visited, encouraged, and provided 60 million VND in financial support to build a "House of Love" for the family of Ms. Vi Thi Ba, a single mother in Thai Son 2 village, Mon Son commune (Con Cuong district), who is from a poor household with particularly difficult circumstances.
