Nguyen Binh lights up the belief in gender equality in remote areas - Cao Bang Electronic Newspaper

From 2022 to present, the Women's Union of Nguyen Binh district has actively implemented Project 8 "Gender Equality (GED) and solving urgent issues for women and children (W&C)" with many flexible and suitable approaches that have been responded to by Party committees, authorities, mass organizations and people, lighting up the belief in GED in remote areas.

Awakening Awareness - Changing from the Roots

Nguyen Binh district has 18 communes and towns with 98% of the population being ethnic minorities living in remote areas, with slow economic and social development, so there are still backward customs and gender stereotypes that have not been eliminated. Therefore, implementing Project 8, the District Women's Union determined to promote propaganda about gender equality for the social community, women and children in ethnic minority areas to raise awareness and change gender equality from the roots - said the President of the Nguyen Binh District Women's Union, Trieu Thi Hoa.

Many forms of propaganda on gender equality have been organized by the District Women's Union in coordination with the Party Committee, authorities, and mass organizations with many appropriate forms at the grassroots level to attract the participation of all social classes and ethnic minority women. Training was organized and 82 Community Communication Teams (CMTs) were established in communes and towns with 650 members who are grassroots cadres. The CMTs increased communication in 300 sessions for more than 3,000 listeners about changing "thinking and doing" to contribute to eliminating prejudices and gender stereotypes in families and communities, harmful cultural practices, and some urgent social issues for women and children.

Nguyen Binh District Women's Union organized the contest "Creative and effective communication models in eliminating gender prejudice and gender stereotypes".

The Women's Union of districts, communes and towns organized the contest "Creative and effective communication models in eliminating gender prejudice and gender stereotypes" with the participation of the Communication Teams, building communication programs in the form of dramatization, communication campaigns on gender equality at the markets of communes and towns, cultural events at the grassroots level, creating opportunities for ethnic minorities to listen to propaganda on gender equality. The Communication Teams in communes and hamlets become a bridge between policies and people, helping to spread the message on gender equality and women's and children's rights. The competitions at the grassroots level promoted by the Communication Teams focus on presenting situations in family life, the constraints of gender prejudice and gender stereotypes in the family. From there, the message is given to eliminate gender prejudice and gender stereotypes, change harmful backward customs, implement gender equality, build a happy family life, a progressive and civilized society. The Association established the “Leaders of Change” Club in schools, organized communication and activities for students on the topic of gender equality, and eliminated prejudices and backward customs about early marriage and incestuous marriage.

Ms. Trieu Mui Lien, Lung Sung hamlet, Yen Lac commune said: I am a Dao ethnic woman who used to think that women only do housework and do not participate in social activities. In 2024, when my husband and I went to the market, we saw the Commune Women's Union organize communication on situations about gender equality, perform a play about a husband forcing his wife to have many children, making women weaker, harming their health and making them sick. Doctors and nurses came to examine and analyze that the couple should only have 2 children to ensure their health and raise their children... I understand more about the role and rights of women to participate in social activities and apply science and technology to production. My husband also understands that he must be more responsible for his wife and children, and not force his wife to have many children anymore...

Along with promoting gender equality propaganda, the District Women's Union has also built 6 trusted community addresses to help women and children who are subjected to domestic violence to seek refuge and receive help, support, and mediation from authorities, commune and hamlet organizations, etc.

Empowerment - Women rise up to assert themselves

Along with promoting the activities of the Women's Union, the District Women's Union also organizes training courses to improve the capacity of ethnic minority female cadres, helping women to be more confident in participating in leadership positions in the political system, contributing to the implementation of gender equality and social progress. Organize dialogues with local Party committees and authorities on policies for ethnic minority women and children so that ethnic minority women can access social security policies, resources, programs and projects to develop the family economy, vocational training, find jobs, and proactively escape poverty.

Ms. Trieu Mui Lai, Dao ethnic group, Ban Chieu hamlet, Phan Thanh commune shared: Before, I thought that women only did housework, gave birth, and were not bold enough to develop the family economy, so my family was poor. It was very miserable! In 2023 - 2024, I heard the TTCĐ Team propagate about GM crops, and had access to ethnic policies to support ethnic minorities in borrowing capital to develop the economy. The People's Committee and the Women's Union of the commune propagated to the people about GM crops, the advantages of the commune's agricultural land suitable for growing arrowroot for flour to produce arrowroot vermicelli; organized training courses on cultivation and animal husbandry for women members... I actively participated in the training and boldly borrowed 50 million VND from the Social Policy Bank to invest in growing arrowroot for flour to produce vermicelli and develop animal husbandry. Up to now, my family has a stable income of over 80 million VND/year and has escaped poverty.

The Provincial Women's Union coordinated with the Center for Women and Development and the Central Vietnam Women's Union to organize a communication campaign to raise awareness about preventing and combating human trafficking in Thanh Cong commune (Nguyen Binh).

Linking propaganda on gender equality and creating opportunities to access policies for socio-economic development has had a positive impact on ethnic minority women in the district, gradually eliminating gender prejudices and gender stereotypes, promoting their roles and powers to rise up to do business and participate in emulation movements. Currently, the number of households borrowing capital to develop family economies headed by women to escape poverty is increasing with models of growing arrowroot, producing arrowroot vermicelli, growing high-quality organic tea, bamboo poles, raising black pigs and chickens, developing community tourism services... Many households have developed economies headed by women to escape poverty. Contributing to reducing the district's poor households by an average of 4-5%/year.

Thanks to the continuous efforts of the District Women's Union, the close attention of all levels and sectors, and the cooperation of the community, in the coming time, the implementation of Project 8 will increasingly receive the participation of the social community with new ways of doing things, close to reality, and actively contributing to the construction of progressive and civilized mountainous rural areas.

Truong Ha

Source: https://baocaobang.vn/nguyen-binh-thap-sang-niem-tin-binh-dang-gioi-o-vung-sau-vung-xa-3176603.html