Actively care for the lives of women and children.

Việt Nam•14/05/2024

(Culture and Society) Implementing gender equality and addressing pressing issues for women and children is a crucial task in building a just and developed society. The Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) is leading Project 8, "Implementing Gender Equality and Addressing Pressing Issues for Women and Children." In Son La province, the project's activities have been and are being implemented under the direction of the Provincial Women's Union, contributing to supporting and caring for the material and spiritual lives of women and children.

Women from ethnic minorities participate in social activities.

The objective of Project 8 is to raise awareness, change prejudices, improve the material and spiritual well-being, protect and care for women and children, achieve gender equality, and effectively address some urgent issues facing women and children in particularly disadvantaged areas. In Son La, the project is implemented in 1,449 villages in communes classified as Category III and particularly disadvantaged villages in communes classified as Category II and Category I across all 11 districts of the province. To ensure the effective implementation of the project, the Women's Union established a steering committee and support team; developed a project implementation plan and conducted project monitoring and supervision. Regular coordination with the Ethnic Affairs Committee and relevant departments and agencies was maintained to resolve difficulties and obstacles during implementation. Training was organized for Women's Union officials at all levels and village officials in the project implementation areas; and communication events were held to introduce and promote the project.

The Provincial Women's Union directed the implementation of the project's four core activities and eleven key indicators. The focus was on disseminating information and mobilizing support to eliminate gender stereotypes and biases within families and communities, as well as harmful cultural customs; building and replicating models that change mindsets and practices to enhance women's economic empowerment, promote gender equality, and address pressing issues facing women and children. Simultaneously, the Union monitored and provided feedback, supporting women's participation in leadership within the political system; and equipped political officials, village heads, religious leaders, and influential community members with knowledge of gender equality and skills in gender mainstreaming.

To date, the province has established 226 community communication groups with 1,967 members; of which, over 60% are male; 23 change leaders' clubs, with 299 ethnic minority girls directly participating in operating the model; and 29 trusted address models, with 304 members participating in the management board. The various levels of associations organized 8 conferences, training courses, and competitions on "Understanding the Law on Prevention and Control of Domestic Violence"; 150 community communication sessions; and 23 policy dialogue conferences at the commune and village levels, with 2,718 participants...

Currently, the entire province has provided information to 4,900 ethnic minority children; nearly 200 ethnic minority female officials have received training to improve their knowledge and skills; over 7,000 pregnant women in the project's implementing communes have been informed and encouraged to give birth at medical facilities; 478 mothers have benefited from the safe childbirth support package, and 354 mothers have benefited from the home care support package after childbirth...

In the coming period, women's associations at all levels in the province strive to establish an additional 190 community communication groups; 36 trusted addresses; 71 clubs of leaders of change; organize 168 policy dialogue conferences at the commune and village cluster levels; provide training and guidance on monitoring and evaluating gender equality, gender mainstreaming, and capacity building for ethnic minority women cadres participating in leadership in the political system and women's association cadres at all levels. With many practical models, the project has been contributing to improving the quality of life for women and girls.

Throughout the project's implementation, it can be seen that the activities of Project 8 have fundamentally adhered to the program's content orientation, being both comprehensive and specific, practical, and appropriate to the local situation. The project's models and activities have been well-received and supported by the people and highly appreciated by local Party committees and authorities, contributing to raising awareness, changing mindsets and practices, enhancing economic empowerment, eliminating gender stereotypes and biases, and providing opportunities for women and girls to affirm their roles in the family and participate in building and developing the community. To continue effectively implementing the contents and targets of Project 8 in 2024, the Women's Union at all levels in the province will focus on strengthening communication and advocacy activities to change "mindsets and practices," eliminate gender stereotypes and biases in families and communities through direct and indirect communication channels; Developing radio and television programs, broadcasting through public address systems in both the common language and ethnic languages; organizing communication campaigns to eliminate gender stereotypes and biases, and build a safe living environment for women and children; organizing competitions/festivals to share experiences on innovative and effective models that contribute to eliminating gender stereotypes, domestic violence, and trafficking of women and children; focusing on improving the capacity of female ethnic minority officials;…

This is the first time that the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous regions has included a separate component project on promoting gender equality. This project is extremely important in raising awareness, changing prejudices, caring for the material and spiritual lives of women and children, protecting and caring for them, and effectively achieving the goal of gender equality.

Nguyen Hanh

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