New opportunities for ethnic minority women in Cao Bang

As the lead agency implementing Project 8 of the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the period 2021-2030; Phase I: from 2021 to 2025 (National Target Program 1719), from 2022 to the present, the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union has intensified the implementation of the Project's contents. To date, the Project has made a significant contribution to raising awareness, empowering, and opening up new opportunities to help women and children in ethnic minority areas confidently assert their position in the family and society. The task of rearranging commune-level administrative units in Quang Binh is being urgently implemented. In particular, two criteria: population and natural area at the commune level in mountainous and ethnic minority areas have been clearly defined. On March 20th, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations, Vietnam Television, Vietnam News Agency, and relevant agencies, organized the program "Meeting of Vietnamese and Chinese Students from Different Periods". The Bamboo Calendar, also known as the Doi/Roi Calendar, plays a special role in the community life of the Muong people in Hoa Binh province, and is an invaluable asset of folk knowledge. All production activities, daily life, customs, rituals, and festivals of the community, as well as important events for each individual and family of the Muong people in Hoa Binh, are based on the auspicious and inauspicious calculations of the Bamboo Calendar. In mid-the month of Ramadan 2025, we visited An Nhon Cham village, Xuan Hai commune, Ninh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, to meet Ms. Nguyen Thi Tung Long – a dedicated teacher committed to preserving and developing the Cham language in the area. Ms. Tung Long was honored to be invited by the Department of Ethnic Education (Ministry of Education and Training) to participate in compiling Cham language textbooks for primary school. Recently, coastal erosion in Hoi An ( Quang Nam ) has become serious, affecting the lives of the people as well as the socio-economic development of the locality. Faced with this situation, Quang Nam has invested nearly 1,000 billion VND with the hope of reviving the coastline and creating peace of mind for residents and tourists. The task of reorganizing commune-level administrative units in Quang Binh is being urgently implemented. In particular, two criteria: population and natural area at the commune level in mountainous areas and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities have been clearly defined. The Director of the Dak Lak Provincial Department of Finance, Vo Ngoc Tuyen, signed document No. 1172/STC-TH&QLNS dated March 19, 2025, addressed to departments, agencies, localities, and investors, regarding the review of investment in the construction of headquarters for agencies and units to ensure consistency with the streamlining of organizational structures and apparatuses. The summary news of the Ethnic and Development Newspaper, morning news on March 20th, includes the following noteworthy information: A convergence of cultural colors. A picturesque road amidst the Truong Son mountain range. Artisan A Hoă preserves the traditional basket weaving craft. Along with other current news in the ethnic minority and mountainous regions. As the leading agency implementing Project 8, National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous regions giai đoạn 2021 - 2030; Phase I: from 2021 to 2025 (National Target Program 1719), from 2022 to the present, the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union has intensified the implementation of the Project's contents. To date, the Project has made a significant contribution to raising awareness, empowering, and opening new opportunities to help women and children in ethnic minority areas confidently assert their position in the family and society. On March 20th, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Education and Training organized a seminar "Vision and future orientation for education in the AI ​​era". On March 20th, in Ho Chi Minh City... In Quy Nhon (Binh Dinh province), a workshop titled "Skills of Television Journalists in the Digital Environment" was held. This activity was part of the 42nd National Television Festival. The workshop affirmed that modern skills are not only an advantage but also a mandatory requirement for television journalists in the digital environment. On the morning of March 20th, the VTVRatings audience measurement index system was announced in Quy Nhon City (Binh Dinh province). This activity was also part of the 42nd National Television Festival. The Justice Department of Ky Son district (Nghe An province) recently held a ceremony to launch the model project "Families, clans, and villages free from child marriage and consanguineous marriage" in Bao Nam and Nam Can communes. This is one of the important activities implemented according to Plan No. 146/KH-UBND dated August 15, 2024, of the People's Committee of Ky Son district.

Propaganda on the issue of "preferring men over women" was disseminated through a short play at a gender equality communication program organized by the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union.

Diversify forms of communication to raise awareness.

According to Nguyen Thi Nguyet Minh, Vice President of the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union: To ensure the widespread implementation of Project 8, "Promoting Gender Equality and Addressing Urgent Issues for Women and Children," the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union has intensified its communication efforts through various rich and appropriate methods to make it easily accessible to women and children, especially those from ethnic minority groups. The province has established Community Communication Teams (CMCs), Community Trust Centers, and provided these models with extensive knowledge and skills to operate effectively at the grassroots level.

Through its implementation, Project 8 of the National Target Program 1719 has empowered and opened opportunities for women and children in ethnic minority areas to participate in various aspects of social life, gradually narrowing the gender gap and contributing to the achievement of local socio -economic development goals.

Ms. Doan Thi Le An, President of the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union

In Ha Quang district, for example, members participating in the Gender Mainstreaming Team are equipped with knowledge and skills in leadership, management, and the capacity to implement gender mainstreaming; knowledge of gender equality, how to develop communication plans, and how to work in teams to promote gender mainstreaming.

Mr. Vi Xuan Thanh, Head of the Fatherland Front Committee and a member of the Community Development Team in Cot Pho hamlet, Tong Cot commune, Ha Quang district, said: "Participating in the Community Development Team in the hamlet, I received training and gained a lot of knowledge about gender equality. During hamlet meetings and while promoting various movements, I have disseminated information about gender equality to men and women, helping them understand the important role and position of women in the family and society. To date, men in the hamlet actively help their wives and children with labor and production, there is no domestic violence, they take care of their children, both boys and girls attend school, there is no early marriage, and they participate in building new rural areas and cultural families."

In an effort to promote the activities of Project 8, women's associations at all levels organized hundreds of policy dialogues at the commune and village/hamlet levels for thousands of grassroots women. This affirmed the role and voice of women in the family and society.

Intensified propaganda activities have contributed to raising public awareness.

According to Ms. Nong Thi Dam, Head of the Women's Association in Tuc Nga hamlet, Duc Xuan commune, Thach An district: "After receiving training on policy dialogue, when the Women's Union of the commune organized a policy dialogue with the commune, I and other women requested consideration for support, job creation, and health insurance for ethnic minority women and children. The authorities at all levels responded and provided satisfactory guidance, so we were very pleased."

Meanwhile, Ms. Hoang Thi Mua, from Ta Say hamlet, Thuong Thon commune, Ha Quang district, said: Thanks to the dissemination of information about gender equality, ethnic minority women not only know how to cultivate fields and do housework as before, but have also actively and proactively participated in local movements, learned to raise cattle, and developed their family economy. In particular, they know how to identify and proactively counter the schemes of those who lure and deceive them, avoiding complicity and becoming victims of cross-border trafficking.

Gradually change your mindset and way of doing things.

To ensure the voice and genuine participation of women and children in socio-economic development activities, the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union has recently organized 5 training conferences on the application of science and technology for over 400 grassroots officials and members to support livelihood groups, cooperatives, and women-led cooperatives. The Women's Union's Steering Committee, in coordination with local officials, has developed and replicated models to change mindsets and practices, enhance women's economic empowerment, promote gender equality, and address pressing issues facing women and children.

Through specific activities closely linked to the practical realities of each locality, the Cao Bang Women's Union has achieved many positive results in the implementation of Project 8.

The widespread implementation of Project 8 at the grassroots level throughout Cao Bang province has contributed to building many effective community communication models; raising awareness about gender equality and gradually eliminating outdated customs. Activities such as organizing policy dialogues on women's issues at the commune, village, and hamlet levels have raised awareness, changed mindsets and practices among ethnic minority women; supported and cared for their material and spiritual lives; and protected and cared for women and children. This has enabled women and children in ethnic minority areas to confidently play their roles in many fields.

Ms. Doan Thi Le An, President of the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union, stated: Through its implementation, Project 8 of the National Target Program 1719 has empowered and opened opportunities for women and children in ethnic minority areas to participate in various aspects of social life, gradually narrowing the gender gap and contributing to the achievement of the local socio-economic development goals.

Implementing Project 8, National Target Program 1719, the Cao Bang Provincial Women's Union has so far organized over 700 awareness campaigns on knowledge and capacity building for gender equality and addressing pressing issues for women and children at the grassroots level; eliminating gender stereotypes and preventing domestic violence through various diverse forms, attracting more than 40,000 people in villages and hamlets to participate. It has established 746 Community Information Teams and provided operational training to over 3,700 officials at the district, commune, village, and mass organization levels who are members of these teams. It has also provided training on leadership and management skills, and enhanced the capacity for gender mainstreaming, to over 2,000 officials in the grassroots political system participating in Project 8's programs and operational models.

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

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/co-hoi-moi-cho-phu-nu-dtts-o-cao-bang-1742468641745.htm