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Nguyen Huong Giang wore traditional Hmong ethnic clothing at Women Deliver 2026. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) |
The Women Deliver 2026 conference (held from April 27-30 in Melbourne, Australia) is an international conference bringing together feminists, young leaders, Indigenous communities, and policymakers from over 170 countries to discuss, develop strategies, and promote gender equality, climate justice, and the rights of women and girls globally.
Ms. Nguyen Huong Giang shared her profound insights and valuable lessons learned on her journey to bring the voices of ethnic minority women to international forums.
As a representative of Vietnam at Women Deliver 2026, how do you view the increasingly prominent position and voice of Vietnamese youth in international forums?
Today, young people have increasing opportunities to express their abilities and concerns about global issues through various forums and platforms. Therefore, I am more aware and deeply understand my role in particular and the position of Vietnamese youth in general as we enter an international space to exchange views on human rights issues.
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Nguyen Huong Giang (far right) poses for a commemorative photo with the international delegation at Women Deliver 2026. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) |
With the strong nomination, sponsorship, and support of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) throughout this trip, including the UNICEF Vietnam office, as well as the UNICEF East Asia & Pacific regional office, attending this Women Deliver conference, I understand that I not only share my personal story, but also have a responsibility to share more about the community and my beloved country, Vietnam.
As a child of the Hmong people, raised under the care and hard work of my grandmother, mother, and sisters in the village, I carry with me the essence of highland life and the thoughts and feelings of the women and children here for generations. I believe this is the most authentic material to reflect the reality and the difficulties that still exist in my community.
Furthermore, I've always wanted to know how the world perceives and acts upon the stories of women and girls, especially those from minority groups. Therefore, this conference is a valuable opportunity for me to voice my opinions from my own community while also gaining diverse perspectives from the international community.
My baggage also includes pride in a hospitable Vietnam with a rich and unique culinary tradition spanning all regions. In particular, I will never forget the moment I wore the traditional costume of the Hmong people in the solemn atmosphere of the conference. At that time, I wanted international friends to see an image of Vietnam with 54 ethnic groups always united and close-knit. My presence partly reflects the desire of ethnic minority communities to contribute to the overall development of the nation as well as the international community.
During your interactions with international delegates, what similarities did you notice between young Vietnamese women and young women in other countries? Are there any stories that have further motivated you on your activism journey?
Through these dialogue sessions, many messages and stories were shared by the delegates, but perhaps the most meaningful thing I felt was the strong solidarity and deep concern shown by the global women's community regarding the issues of women and girls. This concern comes not only from developed countries but also from developing countries like Nepal and the Philippines,...
Within the youth delegation supported by UNICEF East Asia & Pacific, I had the opportunity to connect, share, and discuss with many friends. Among them, I would like to mention the story of Sabnam, a delegate from Nepal and an educator in the Girls Empowerment Project of Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal. Despite coming from a relatively backward community, at only 19 years old, Sabnam bravely chose to become a voice representing girls and vulnerable groups. From issues such as menstrual hygiene and reproductive health to girls' rights, Sabnam did not stop at theory but also directly acted to help girls gain confidence and have more opportunities for development.
Another story I heard came from Ysnaira from the Philippines. Ysnaira is a nurse and an active advocate for girls' rights in Maguindanao del Sur. When Ysnaira recounted heartbreaking examples of child marriage in her area, I saw a reflection of my own homeland. I have witnessed many similar stories in villages across Vietnam.
It's clear that, despite differing cultural backgrounds and living conditions, young women in many places share many similarities: they are all striving to find their voice, hoping to be heard, given opportunities, and live up to their own values.
I also understand that many young people, whether from Asia, Africa, or Latin America, have experienced feelings of self-doubt or the belief that their voices aren't loud enough to make a difference. But the fact that they continue to speak up and act for their communities has given me so much motivation.
Following Women Deliver 2026, what specific actions do you hope to take for your community?
Personally, as a student at the Academy of Journalism and Communication and as a young person concerned about issues in my community, I understand the role of media in promoting fairness and legitimate rights for women and girls from ethnic minorities.
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Ms. Nguyen Huong Giang in the project "GET TO LEARN - Sponsoring used laptops for ethnic minority students". (Photo: Provided by the interviewee) |
Through the development of current media, my project and I aim to focus on spreading stories of resilience, the beauty of identity, and the unique cultural and religious values of each ethnic group, rather than just exploiting their difficult aspects. This will show that they deserve basic rights, like all citizens, to develop economically and achieve independence. The Women Deliver 2026 conference has given me strong inspiration on my journey of serving the community.
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Weaving identity from the schoolVHO - Beyond simply teaching literacy, A Tuc Primary and Secondary School is becoming a place for preserving the cultural values of ethnic minorities in the highlands of Quang Tri province. Through weaving brocade, students learn a trade, learn about their roots, and nurture pride in their ethnic identity. In the near future, as a student, I aim to maintain my ongoing volunteer projects and continue participating in community activities organized by UNICEF - the United Nations Children's Fund, which support a large number of ethnic minority female students.
Thank you!
Lầu Nguyễn Hương Giang (born in 2004) is a Mong ethnic minority student from Kỳ Sơn (Nghệ An province), currently a 4th-year student at the Academy of Journalism and Communication. She manages the social project "Learning" which provides used laptops to ethnic minority students, has participated in numerous UNICEF Vietnam programs, and represented Vietnamese ethnic minority youth at the ASEAN Children and Youth Climate Summit 2025. Recently, she represented Vietnam at Women Deliver 2026 in Australia – an international conference on gender equality, climate justice, and the rights of women and girls globally. |
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Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nu-sinh-dan-toc-thieu-so-mang-cau-chuyen-binh-dang-gioi-den-dien-dan-quoc-te-402213.html
![[Photo] Prime Minister Le Minh Hung presides over the thematic session on promoting science and technology development and innovation.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/06/23/1782207872934_ndo_br_dsc-1724-jpg.webp)
