Women's rights
Bui Thi Ngoan
Photo: Chau Doan/OnAsia/ActionAi
Vietnamese girls and women participate actively in poverty reduction and development of their own families, communities and country. However, they continue to suffer from discriminations, violence, obstacles and gender disparities in access to public services, employment and economic opportunities, income, control over their body, and most importantly to political share. Most of the time, their work at home and at work is unpaid, inappropriately recognized and seen as done by women only.
The model of export oriented production, disaster and climate change impacts and lack of employment opportunities escalate migration both within country and across countries. Women migrants may have more opportunities to improve their lives through economic independence but are exposed to an increased risk of abuse and exploitation at work and at home.
Worldwide, Vietnam has the third highest abortion rate for teenagers. Traditional norms and practices, social biases by the community, school teachers, parents, teenagers and youth on sexual reproductive health prevail. Lack of essential life skills and political views against gender inequality for teenagers and youth maintains the exploitation and sexual abuse and violence against girls and women.
The first GoV’s National Strategy on Gender Equality from 2011 to 2020 has laid an important foundation for women’s empowerment and advancement in different spheres. Believing that gender inequality is one of the critical causes of poverty and injustice, ACTIONAID VIETNAM has been advancing women’s rights with support from all communities where we work for many years. Working together to build social and political alternatives for women and girls will be both a stand-alone and a mainstreamed priority for ACTIONAID VIETNAM’s programme throughout.
Objective
To build social and political alternatives for women and girls in the areas where ACTIONAID VIETNAM works.
Advancing alternative
- Women and women’s leadership will be supported promoting women’s rights to a better control over their body; their time and labour.
- ACTIONAID VIETNAM will work with all, especially boys and men who support the change and seek to educate and improve the recognition of women’s rights in others.
- Different stakeholders at all levels will be mobilized and supported for policy advocacy and campaigning on social and political alternatives for women’s rights and gender equality.
Action
- Strengthen awareness and capacity for women and girls so that they can protect themselves from any forms of gender based violence and have access to free of discrimination to health care, social, economic, legal services, decent jobs and equal employment.
- Build potential women’s capacity on leadership and support them to become women leaders in both social and political spheres.
- Strengthen community groups and link them with networks and movements at national, regional and international levels so that they can fight against gender based violence and injustice.
- Facilitate campaigns and advocacy focusing on changing stereotyped norms, practices and any forms of discrimination against women. Advocate for an increased budget allocation for the women’s rights agenda.
