Van Lang (Lang Son): Focus on equipping knowledge on gender equality, ensuring the progress of ethnic minority women

In implementing Project 8 of the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, Van Lang district, Lang Son province, has paid special attention to equipping officials in the political system, village elders, and influential community leaders with knowledge about gender equality and skills in gender mainstreaming. As a result, awareness of gender equality has been raised, ensuring the progress of ethnic minority women in various aspects of social life. The fourth survey on the socio-economic situation of 53 ethnic minority groups, conducted using a commune-level questionnaire, added the task of collecting information on the number of vocational training facilities in communes/wards/townships as of July 1, 2024. 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Concerned about the state of mind affected by knowledge

Van Lang has 17 administrative units (16 communes, 1 town), including 5 border communes adjacent to Bang Tuong Town, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, with a border length of over 36km.

The district comprises 8 communes and 1 town in Zone I and 8 communes in Zone III; it has 161 villages and neighborhoods; the total natural area of ​​the district is 56,741.34 hectares; the population is over 50,000 people, with 4 main ethnic groups: Tay, Nung, Kinh, and Hoa, along with a small number of other ethnic groups living together.

A view of the training course on promoting gender equality, gender mainstreaming skills, and policies supporting safe childbirth for ethnic minority women, for association officials, community communication team leaders, and influential individuals in 2024.

For the Women's Union organization in the district, there are 17,270 women aged 18 and above, with a total membership of 10,944. The percentage of women aged 18 and above joining the Union is 63.37%, and the percentage of members participating in Union activities is over 87%. There are 161 women's branches; 161 branch leaders, of which 46 are Party members. 55% of the branch leaders have only primary or lower secondary education, while a high percentage (over 84%) have no formal training. The number of women's branch leaders currently holding one of the three positions eligible for state budget allowances in villages and neighborhoods according to Decree No. 34/2019/ND-CP is low, accounting for only a small fraction (6/161 branch leaders, or 3.72%).

Implementing Project 8, the Women's Union at all levels in Van Lang district has proactively and actively organized activities to raise awareness among cadres and members about women's issues and gender equality; conducted training on gender mainstreaming and policy dialogue; and established and maintained models such as the "Leaders of Change" Club, community communication teams, and trusted addresses at the grassroots level. The Union has also opened training courses on guiding dialogue for Party branch secretaries, village heads, heads of village Fatherland Front committees, cadres, and women's union branch leaders.

In addition, the District Women's Union, in coordination with the District Department of Labor, War Invalids, Social Affairs and Ethnic Minorities, organized 7 training courses on gender equality and gender capacity building for 324 Party branch secretaries, village heads, heads and deputy heads of socio -political organizations, exemplary influential figures, and some outstanding women's union members and youth union members in the community.

Ms. Lieu Thi Hon, Head of the Women's Association in Co Luong village, Nhac Ky commune, said that she fully participated in all training sessions on Project 8 organized by the District Women's Union. The training sessions typically covered specialized topics such as: Propagating and mobilizing changes in "mindsets and practices" to help eliminate gender stereotypes and biases in families and communities; grassroots women's associations and the role of branch leaders; association leadership skills; new points in the charter and guidelines for implementing the Vietnam Women's Union charter; some methods and skills for propaganda and understanding public opinion; the role of the association in handling political and social hotspots; skills in organizing propaganda activities and applying information technology in propaganda…

Through these competitions, the heads of women's associations gain more skills and knowledge, and improve their capacity in disseminating information and mobilizing the people.

Through this training course, the women and branch leaders are equipped with knowledge and professional skills in association work, methods for mobilizing female members, and advising on resolving issues arising at the grassroots level to meet the requirements and tasks of association work; building a stronger association organization, especially ensuring the voice and genuine participation of women and children in socio-economic development activities; and enhancing the capacity to implement gender mainstreaming…

According to Ms. Hon, after each training session at the district level, she usually organizes Women's Association meetings in the village to disseminate and publicize the training content. This ensures that each member understands the information and knowledge about Project 8 and gender equality in the family and society. Through these meetings, members gain valuable information, and most women listen attentively and enthusiastically.

Ms. Hon also added that the Women's Association of Co Luong village has 46 female members. Over the years, the members have all actively strived to develop their family economies and have been responsible, gradually asserting their voice in the community and society. The vast majority of the women are capable in household chores; although they are not heads of households, they make most of the major decisions in the family. These are positive signs, partly thanks to Project 8.

Ensuring the advancement of ethnic minority women.

Ms. Dang Thi Hien, Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Van Lang District, said that in order to improve the effectiveness of gender equality work, the Women's Union of Van Lang District has actively coordinated and effectively implemented the National Target Program on Gender Equality for the period 2021-2030; actively advised on the implementation of the work on female cadres in accordance with Resolution No. 11-NQ/TW and Directive No. 21-CT/TW of the Secretariat of the Central Committee (12th term) on continuing to promote women's work in the new situation, including proactively identifying and introducing outstanding women, paying attention to planning, training, fostering, rotating, assigning, and utilizing female cadres to build and create a source of female cadres for agencies in the political system; paying attention to the development of female civil servants at the grassroots level, especially female cadres in remote, mountainous, border areas and areas with a large number of ethnic minorities; and providing training and support for cadres.

Thanks to the focus on equipping women with knowledge about gender equality, there has been a shift in the awareness and responsibility of officials, members, and the people, working together to narrow the gender gap, eliminate gender-based violence, and aim to ensure the progress of ethnic minority women in all areas of social life.

In particular, the District Women's Union, in coordination with various departments and units, especially the District Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs - Ethnic Minorities, organized training courses on gender equality and gender capacity building for Party branch secretaries, village heads, heads and deputy heads of socio-political organizations, exemplary influential figures, and some outstanding women members and youth union members in the community.

Training sessions typically focus on topics such as: promoting and advocating for changes in mindset and practices to eliminate gender stereotypes and biases within families and communities, harmful cultural practices, and pressing social issues for women and children; developing and replicating models to empower women economically; ensuring the voice and genuine participation of women and children in socio-economic development activities; and enhancing the capacity of political system officials, village elders, religious leaders, and influential community members to implement gender mainstreaming.

In addition, the Women's Union of the district is promoting the organization of a festival showcasing communication models to eliminate outdated customs, gender stereotypes, trafficking of women and children, and to build happy families; and a competition for "Outstanding Women's Union Branch Leaders"...

Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Van Lang District, Dang Thi Hien, emphasized that through promoting propaganda, training, and capacity building for officials in the political system, including branch leaders, women's union members, village elders, hamlet leaders, and influential people in the community,... this contributes to a shift in awareness and responsibility among officials, members, and the people to work together to narrow the gender gap, eliminate gender-based violence, and aim to ensure the progress of ethnic minority women in all areas of social life, building a safe, civilized, and happy society for all.

Project 8 changes the "thinking and way of doing" for ethnic minority women in Van Lang district

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/van-lang-lang-son-quan-tam-trang-bi-kien-thuc-ve-binh-dang-gioi-dam-bao-su-tien-bo-cua-phu-nu-dtts-1733124346218.htm