National Target Program 1719 opens up many opportunities for ethnic minority women in Quang Tri

After nearly four years of implementing Project 8, under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas giai đoạn 2021-2030; Phase I: from 2021 to 2025 (National Target Program 1719), the Quang Tri Provincial Women's Union has effectively implemented the core contents and targets. This has opened up many opportunities to address urgent issues facing women and children in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. In line with the Central Government's policy on streamlining the organizational structure, the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Ho Chi Minh City was established and officially began operations on March 1, 2025. "When the two fields of ethnicity and religion 'come together,' it will facilitate state management of ethnic and religious affairs, especially in Ho Chi Minh City - where 53 ethnic minority groups live together and millions of followers," shared Mr. Nguyen Duy Tan, Director of the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City. Concluding the meeting of the Steering Committee on the development of science, technology, innovation, digital transformation and Project 06, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested the acceleration of national digitalization, the comprehensive development of digital citizens, and the unlimited reduction and simplification of administrative procedures; resolutely shifting from a passive state of receiving and resolving administrative procedures to a proactive and positive state of serving the people and businesses. Due to the influence of the cold air mass, the Northern region and the area from Thanh Hoa to Hue continue to experience cold weather, with some mountainous areas in the Northern region experiencing severe cold. The area from Ha Tinh to Khanh Hoa will experience scattered rain and showers, with thunderstorms in some areas, and locally moderate to heavy rain. After nearly four years of implementing Project 8, under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Regions giai đoạn 2021-2030; Phase I: from 2021 to 2025 (National Target Program 1719), the Quang Tri Provincial Women's Union has effectively implemented the core contents and targets. This has opened up many opportunities to address urgent issues for women and children in ethnic minority and mountainous regions. Following the Central Government's policy on streamlining the organizational structure, the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Ho Chi Minh City was established and officially began operations on March 1, 2025. "When the two fields of ethnicity and religion 'come together,' it will facilitate state management of ethnic and religious affairs, especially in Ho Chi Minh City - where 53 ethnic minority groups live and millions of followers," shared Mr. Nguyen Duy Tan, Director of the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City. Over the years, from the resources of the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction, Vi Xuyen district, Ha Giang province, has focused on creating livelihoods and solving employment problems to help people rise out of poverty sustainably. Businesses achieving the "High-Quality Vietnamese Goods 2025" certification mark have contributed nearly 170,000 billion VND to the budget and created jobs for nearly 250,000 workers. This is a summary of the news from the Ethnic and Development Newspaper. The morning news on March 18th includes the following noteworthy information: The sacred Khao Le The Linh Hoang Sa ceremony. An ancient temple in Bac Ninh. The potential for community tourism in Bau Ech. Along with other current news in the ethnic minority and mountainous regions. Not only playing an important role in disseminating laws to the people, in recent times, influential figures in the highland districts of Quang Nam have continuously increased production, pioneering the transformation of crop and livestock structures to develop family economies and support people in improving their livelihoods. On March 18th, leaders of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions and the Fatherland Front Committee of Thanh Hoa province visited and congratulated the Bishop's Office on the occasion of the Feast of the Patron Saint of the Thanh Hoa Diocese in 2025. Receiving the delegation were Bishop Nguyen Duc Cuong of the Thanh Hoa Diocese and other priests. Located on Pham Ho Phap Street, Hoa Thanh town, Tay Ninh province, about 5km southeast of Tay Ninh city and... Located approximately 100km west of Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh Holy See is a place of important religious activities, where Cao Dai followers come on pilgrimage and perform solemn rituals. The Quan The Am Festival is one of Da Nang's major cultural and religious events, attracting numerous domestic and international tourists. With its rich activities, the festival is not only a place for people to worship and pray for peace but also an opportunity to promote the unique cultural values ​​of the Ngu Hanh Son region. Tuyen Quang province has 121 communes inhabited by ethnic minorities, including 570 particularly disadvantaged villages. According to the report of the Provincial People's Committee, in the period 2021 - 2025, from the allocated capital of national target programs, especially National Target Program 1719, the province has supported the investment in the construction of 600 infrastructure projects serving production, trade, and people's lives, of which 80% were invested in developing infrastructure in disadvantaged areas.

The brocade weaving cooperative of A Bung commune, Dakrong district creates many jobs and stable income for its female members (Photo: TCL).

Opens up many opportunities

Through Project 8, "Achieving Gender Equality and Addressing Urgent Issues for Women and Children," ethnic minority women in Quang Tri province have had many opportunities to access information, raise awareness about gender stereotypes and biases, and eliminate outdated customs that once contributed to poverty and backwardness.

Through concerted efforts over the past nearly four years, utilizing resources from Project 8 of the National Target Program 1719, the Women's Union at all levels in Quang Tri province has organized 57 communication campaigns on gender equality; prevention and control of domestic violence; and building a safe environment for women and children at the district and commune cluster levels, as well as in communes selected by the province to implement pilot models, with over 6,450 participants.

The association duplicated 290 sets of gender capacity building materials; diversified communication methods through publications such as flip charts, leaflets, notebooks, t-shirts, helmets, and bags... The activities and events organized by the association have created a wide reach and a strong sense of community.

Building on the achievements, in the coming time, the Association will maintain and expand the models, strengthen activities with the participation of men and the community in project activities to actively contribute to changing mindsets and practices, eliminating gender stereotypes and gender stereotypes, achieving genuine gender equality, and bringing a prosperous life to the villages."

Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Ha, President of the Women's Union of Quang Tri province

A typical example is the "Trusted Address" model in Ta Rut 3 village, Ta Rut commune, Dakrong district. Established in 2023, the "Trusted Address" model has always received significant attention and monitoring from the Party Committee and local authorities, especially in organizing activities to receive, support, and promptly notify victims of violence, ensuring the safety of victims and maintaining the confidentiality of information about those reporting the incidents and the victims.

According to Mr. Ho Van Om, Party Secretary and Head of Ta Rut 3 village, and also the owner of the "Trusted Address," the model has been effective in protecting women and vulnerable groups in society from domestic violence, gradually preventing violent acts, and creating a peaceful living environment for women and children. Thanks to these practical activities, no cases of domestic violence have been recorded in the area.

To accelerate the implementation of Project 8, National Target Program 1719, the Women's Union of Quang Tri province has established 29 "Leaders of Change" clubs in schools, and established and maintained 171 "Community Communication Teams" with 1,560 members. The management boards of 54 "Trusted Addresses" in the community have conducted 121 awareness campaigns for 7,220 people on local issues.

In addition, to guide and enhance the capacity for implementing gender equality and operating effective models, the Women's Union at all levels has focused on organizing training courses and conferences to guide project staff. To date, the Women's Union at all levels has organized 29 training conferences on skills, guidance, and preparation for dialogue at the commune level for 2,484 staff members. The Provincial Women's Union has organized 19 conferences and training courses on the establishment and operation of communication teams, organizational management skills, etc., for more than 1,300 participants.

Growing dwarf bananas has helped the family of Ms. Ho Thi Mai, a member of the A Dang village cooperative in Ta Rut commune, escape poverty and improve their lives (Illustrative image).

Awakening and promoting the inner strength of ethnic minority women

Identifying livelihoods is a core issue that directly impacts the effectiveness and sustainability of poverty reduction efforts and addressing pressing social problems for women and children. Therefore, it is necessary to start by unleashing and developing women's inherent strengths and abilities, supporting them in establishing themselves, building careers, and rising out of poverty.

Through Project 8, the Women's Union at all levels in Quang Tri province has actively supported disadvantaged women, especially by guiding them in developing family economies , equipping them with knowledge to apply science and technology to production such as digital technology, online sales, using social networks and utility software, supporting them to realize their startup ideas, and creating motivation for other women to establish cooperative models, develop community economies.

The Provincial Women's Union directed the Women's Unions of the districts benefiting from Project 8 to organize and coordinate many practical activities to support ethnic minority women members, such as: training and guidance on farming and livestock techniques; building brands, connecting markets for product consumption, and managing production...

Based on the needs and practical capabilities of livelihood groups, cooperatives, and associations, the Provincial Women's Union has selected four models of livelihood groups, associations, and associations, including: Tay Thach Han Ecological Agricultural Cooperative in Mo O commune and Ta Rut Dwarf Banana Cooperative in Ta Rut commune, Dakrong district; Huc commune Bamboo Shoot Processing Cooperative and Lao Bao town Basket Weaving Cooperative in Huong Hoa district, to support the application of science and technology in production and business, and to actively coordinate with relevant sectors to implement support activities for these livelihood groups.

Many ethnic minority women and youth are supported to start businesses (Illustration photo).

With the support and attention of the Women's Union at all levels, Ms. Ho Thi Xo, Head of the Women's Union branch in A Dang village, Ta Rut commune, Dakrong district, has gathered and attracted women in the village to participate in planting native dwarf bananas. Starting with 8,000 dwarf banana trees, Ms. Xo convinced the women with the production efficiency and quickly established a dwarf banana cooperative. The model has now been selected to participate in the national "Women and the Future of the Green Economy" competition.

To date, Ms. Xở's dwarf banana cooperative has 20 members, harvesting and selling 7,200 bunches of bananas to the market each year. Total income reaches approximately 720 million VND/year.

According to Nguyen Thi Ty, Chairwoman of the Dakrong District Women's Union: "The Ta Rut dwarf banana cooperative is a typical model of applying scientific and technological advancements to production and connecting product consumption with technology. This has encouraged women to change their mindset and methods, actively seeking and learning production knowledge to alleviate poverty and enrich themselves and their community."

According to Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Ha, President of the Quang Tri Provincial Women's Union: The formation of models, cooperatives, and associations has encouraged women to boldly embrace learning, enhance the application of science and technology in production, transform the structure of crops and livestock to suit land conditions and family capabilities, and change production methods. At the same time, it has overcome the mentality of waiting and relying on support and assistance from the State among a segment of ethnic minority communities.

“Building on the achievements, in the coming time, the Association will maintain and expand the models, strengthen activities with the participation of men and the community in project activities to actively contribute to changing mindsets and practices, eliminating gender stereotypes and biases, achieving genuine gender equality, and bringing a prosperous life to the villages,” Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Ha shared.

Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union actively implements Project 8 of the National Target Program 1719 in ethnic minority areas

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/chuong-trinh-mtqg-1719-mo-ra-nhieu-co-hoi-cho-phu-nu-dtts-o-quang-tri-1742289596376.htm