Vietnam attends International Conference on Women in South Africa

On the occasion of International Women's Day 8-3 and on the eve of the 20th anniversary of South Africa's freedom and democracy, on March 8 and 9, 2014 in the capital Pretoria of South Africa, the South African Ministry of Defense and Veterans organized an international conference on women with the theme "International Women Veterans - Together Promoting Progress".

Ambassador Le Huy Hoang (front row, second from right) and South African female Minister of Defense (first from right) at the Commemorative Conference

The workshop was attended by more than 250 outstanding female veterans from South Africa, as well as international delegations and diplomatic corps from South Africa's friendly countries, including Vietnam, Cuba, Palestine, Zambia, and Algeria. Our delegation, led by Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Le Huy Hoang, and representatives of female veterans from the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended and spoke at the workshop.

At the conference, South African and international delegates honored the great role of women around the world, including female veterans, in past wars of national liberation as well as in the current process of building and developing countries. Delegates reviewed the glorious history of South Africa and other countries, shared lessons, and exchanged experiences to help female veterans overcome challenges and contribute more to the cause of building a better life for everyone.

In her opening speech at the Workshop, South African Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula highly appreciated the great role of South African and international women, especially female veterans, in the struggle for national liberation in many countries around the world in the past as well as in the cause of socio-economic construction and development in countries today.

She said that South African women not only effectively participated in the common struggle of the entire nation to demand human rights and abolish the harsh apartheid regime, tens of thousands of women also joined the armed forces Umkhonto we Sizwe (meaning "Spear of the South African Nation") led by Leader Nelson Mandela. Minister Mapisa-Nqakula also expressed her deep gratitude for the support of the international community, including Vietnam, for the just struggle of the South African people in general and South African women in particular, saying that such valuable support has helped shape a new South Africa with an increasingly high position in the region and internationally that South Africa under the leadership of the African National Congress (ANC) has achieved in the past 20 years of independence.

Speaking at the workshop, the representative of the Vietnamese delegation thanked the South African Ministry of Defense and Veterans for inviting the Vietnamese delegation to attend the workshop, emphasizing that Vietnam wishes to promote the cooperative, solidarity and friendly relationship with South African friends, while highlighting the role of Vietnamese women, including female veterans, who have made important and indispensable contributions in the past struggles for freedom and independence as well as in the current cause of building and defending the Vietnamese Fatherland.

South African and international delegates were interested in and highly appreciated our delegation's speech, especially on the key policies and measures that the Party, State and sectors in Vietnam have been implementing to care for and support women, as well as our delegation's shared opinions on ways to further promote the role of women, including female veterans, in the coming time to help women have more favorable conditions to participate in socio-political activities, promote gender equality, enhance women's power, and contribute to the development of the country in all aspects.

According to NDĐT