-
 In
my opinion, the three key factors for achieving substantive
gender equality in economic development are: i) available
sex-disaggregated statistical data on economic performance,
which will facilitate assessments of men's and women's
contributions to and impact on the economy; ii) the
mainstreaming of gender issues into economic development
policies, rather than having gender-specific policies; and iii)
the implementation of measures that support all disadvantaged
groups, not just women, in having equal access to resources and
breaking the glass ceiling.
Ms. Pham Thi Thu Hang, Vice Chairwoman,
Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs' Council
of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)
-
Vietnam has a strong legislative framework for gender equality.
The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the
Constitution and also influences other subordinate legal
documents. However, for various reasons, gender inequality
exists in all aspects of social and family life. In order for
women to narrow the gap and achieve substantive equality, it is
necessary to have a Law on Gender Equality that regulates gender
equality in various aspects of life (politics, economics,
culture, social and family issues), adopts affirmative measures
for both men and women and establishes an enforcement mechanism.
In terms of gender equality in the economic field, the law
states that women participating in economic activities should
have equal access to resources and to government-funded
incentive schemes. In addition, the law applies a number of
temporary measures to support women, such as tax incentive
schemes for female-owned SMEs and for enterprises that employ a
significant number of female employees, women-only training
facilities and programs, and a fund to support income generation
activities for poor women. After the Law is approved, the
delegation of responsibility for developing and implementing the
above measures to a specific agency or organization that can
provide businesswomen with necessary and timely supports will be
absolutely critical.
Ms. Le Thi Ngan Giang, Deputy Director,
Department of Policy and Legal Issues, Vietnam Women Union
-
 According
to Vietnam's legal framework, women have the same freedom as men
when it comes to participating in economic activities, including
business start-up and development. Encouraging women to
participate more actively in the private sector is a national
priority, and has been addressed clearly in the upcoming
National Five Year Socio-Economic Strategy. However, there is a
big gap between the policies that exist on paper and what
actually occurs in practice. There are few initiatives and
programs that support women in business. Women need additional
assistance, as they have to undertake many other
responsibilities in their lives outside of work. It is worth
noting that one of the reasons women are in a disadvantaged
position is their lack of awareness regarding their legal
rights. Look at land use certificates, for example. Many women
do not realize how it is important to have their name on land
use certificates (even though the law stipulates that the names
of both husband and wife should be on the certificate). As a
result, few women actively request re-issuance of their family's
land use certificates so that they can use them as collateral
for bank loans.
Ms. Tran Thi Mai Huong, First Vice-Chairperson,
National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Vietnam (NCFAW)
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