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| Workshop "Inspiring Female Leaders" with network members in Nghe An . (Source: Vietnam Women's Union) |
In its role of uniting and leading the women's movement nationwide, the Vietnam Women's Union has learned from and flexibly applied international knowledge and experience to suit the Vietnamese context.
Typical examples include microcredit from Grameen Bank, which has become a national leader in microcredit, enhancing women's economic empowerment and status; and the "House of Peace" model (with support from the United Nations and organizations from Spain, the Netherlands, etc.), which has become a model of shelter and comprehensive assistance for victims of gender-based violence.
Keeping up with global trends
Recognizing foreign affairs and international cooperation as one of its important tasks, the Vietnam Women's Union has proactively mobilized international resources from diverse sources: government organizations, the United Nations, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and philanthropists.
During the period 2017-2022, the Central Committee of the Women's Union mobilized aid worth over 9.5 million USD. Simultaneously, through the implementation of international programs and projects, the capacity and qualifications of Women's Union officials and women at all levels have significantly improved, including foreign languages, computer skills, and management.
It is worth mentioning training programs with international support, such as the cooperation program with Australia, where nearly 60 Women's Union officials and female officials from various ministries and departments have received training in Australia and Vietnam from 2008 to the present.
With the support of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), seven Association officials participated in the EWHA – KOICA master's program in Korea. In addition, Association officials also participated in training courses both domestically and internationally under Project 165...
The Association has also hosted many major international conferences and seminars, such as the Vietnam-Korea Women's Forum, which has become a hallmark of the Association over the past 10 years.
These forums typically bring together senior leaders, policymakers, and experienced experts in various fields such as the SDGs, digital transformation, women, peace and security, cybersecurity, etc. Through these forums, the Association becomes a meeting point for domestic and international partners who share an interest in women's issues and development.
In particular, international cooperation activities have been increasingly expanded. The Association has welcomed many heads of state and spouses of leaders from various countries, as well as foreign students and volunteers. It has also implemented diverse international cooperation models within the community, such as the "Second Mother" program sponsoring Lao and Cambodian students studying in Vietnam. The Association was also honored to receive the "Leading Collective in People's Diplomacy Work in 2023" emulation flag from the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs.
Ms. Tran Lan Phuong, Vice President of the Vietnam Women's Union, stated that in the context of significant global changes and new elements in international agendas on women and development, the Union has closely followed the principle of multilateralism and diversification in its foreign relations activities.
She affirmed: "The Association has proactively researched and grasped new trends in international agendas on women and development to apply them flexibly, creatively, and appropriately to women's work, women's movements, and the socio-economic development situation of our country, creating a foundation for building a positive and favorable social base for Vietnam's relations with other countries."
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| Members of the "Women's International Integration on Environment" Club of Quang Binh province participated in a training course in September 2022. (Source: Vietnam Women's Union) |
Focus on supporting women's integration.
Particularly since 2021, recognizing the importance of international integration and the demands placed on women in the new situation, the Central Executive Committee of the Women's Union has issued Resolution No. 18 on supporting women's international integration until 2030.
The resolution aims to guide foreign relations activities and support women's international integration within the Women's Union system, while also creating conditions for all levels of the Union to propose mechanisms and resources for related activities.
Aiming to enhance the awareness and capacity for international integration of Women's Union officials, members, and women in order to contribute to the country's overall integration process, the Central Committee of the Women's Union also guides and directs the Women's Unions of provinces and cities to further strengthen activities and models of international integration.
These models are built upon the traditional activities or clubs of the Association but supplemented with international content or content specifically necessary for women in the process of international integration.
Existing central and local programs and projects are also required to supplement and integrate activities supporting women's international integration, such as environmental integration, cybersecurity, and female leadership in the context of international integration.
Notably, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union has piloted the model of "Women Integrating into the International Community Online" clubs in three communes and wards in Ha Tinh province; organized numerous training courses on the application of science and technology for ethnic minority women's groups, e-commerce, inclusive finance, tourism, and the application of digital technology in business... linked to international integration, for the Women's Union of 63 provinces and cities; organized capacity-building training for female officials in ethnic minority and mountainous areas on people-to-people diplomacy and international integration in all three regions within the framework of Project 8; organized activities to promote the role of women and girls in STEM (STEM Forum with UN Women, "Mother and Child with STEM" Day in Hung Yen)...
Currently, several provincial and city-level Women's Unions have developed models to support women's international integration in various fields, such as the "Women's Group for Border and Boundary Protection" model and the "Women's Club for International Integration in Environmental Matters"... These highly applicable models have provided essential knowledge and skills for local female leaders and grassroots women in the process of international integration.
An urgent, strategic task.
In the coming period, the Vietnam Women's Union will continue to implement activities in the fields of cultural diplomacy, economics, politics, etc. In particular, the implementation of Resolution 18 on supporting women's international integration is identified as an urgent and strategic task.
Accordingly, women's associations at all levels will continue to invest in foreign affairs and international integration, contributing to building a favorable environment for women to proactively integrate and rightfully benefit from the country's integration process.
In the context of the rapidly developing Fourth Industrial Revolution, this work is constantly being adjusted and incorporating new elements to aim at supporting women to proactively seize opportunities and minimize risks in the process of international integration.
Vice President of the Vietnam Women's Union Tran Lan Phuong emphasized: "We will continue to closely follow the orientation, policies, and foreign policy guidelines of the Party and State, focusing on researching and proactively grasping new issues concerning women and development in international agendas and the trends of women's movements worldwide; while also taking advantage of opportunities and favorable factors domestically to strengthen international cooperation on gender equality, improve the effectiveness of foreign affairs work, and support women's integration into the international community."
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