Viet Nam is well aware that gender equality is a basic human right which is both a national objective and an important factor to the socio-economic development, National Assembly (NA) Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong said at a meeting on gender equality in Ha Noi on October 28th.

Chairing the informal discussion group on gender equality, the legislator said the Vietnamese parliament has made great efforts in making policies and a legal framework that promote the implementation of human rights, gender equality and the eradication of violence against women. She noted that the 2013 Constitution designated a whole chapter on human rights, including those of women. Head of Viet Nam's Female NA Deputies Group Truong Thi Mai and Vice President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Font's Central Committee Vu Trong Kim pointed out the fact that voters tend to choose male candidates instead of women who have the same qualifications under the impact of the deep-rooted preference for men in the country. United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, Dr Pratibha Mehta spoke highly of Viet Nam's attention to gender equality, which is manifested in the realisation of the UN Millennium Goal on reducing maternal and child fatality, the clear improvement of women's educational level, and the country's high commitment to carrying out the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Dr Pratibha Mehta, who co-chairs the Informal Ambassadors and Heads of Agencies Coordination Group on Gender, suggested Viet Nam include the percentage of women in elective agencies in its laws. Vietnamese and foreign participants proposed measures to raise the number of women winning elections such as raising local officials' awareness of the role of women, improving the capacity and the number of female candidates, and encouraging women to vote in elections.

(Viet Nam Plus – October 29 - http://en.vietnamplus.vn/Home/Gender-equality-crucial-to-development-NA-Vice-Chairwoman/201410/57261.vnplus; VTV – October 29 - http://vtv.vn/trong-nuoc/hop-nhom-khong-chinh-thuc-ve-binh-dang-gioi-nam-2014-20141028192620437.htm; VOV 5 – October 28 - http://vovworld.vn/vi-VN/Tin-tuc/Viet-Nam-luon-no-luc-xay-dung-cac-chinh-sach-ve-quyen-con-nguoi-va-binh-dang-gioi/282038.vov; Viet Nam Plus – October 28 - http://www.vietnamplus.vn/chia-se-kinh-nghiem-tang-ty-le-nu-dai-bieu-trong-co-quan-dan-cu/288542.vnp; Tapchicongsan.org.vn – October 28 - http://www.tapchicongsan.org.vn/Home/Thoi_su_chinh_tri/2014/29992/Chia-se-kinh-nghiem-tang-ty-le-nu-dai-bieu-trong-co.aspx; VOV 5 – October 28 - http://vovworld.vn/en-US/News/Vietnam-exerts-effort-to-build-policies-on-human-rights-and-gender-equality/281949.vov; Tin Tuc p4 - News – October 29; Nhan Dan p1&2 – People's Daily – October 29; Phu Nu Viet Nam p3 - Viet Nam Woman – October 29; Dai Bieu Nhan Dan p1&7 - People's Deputy Daily – October 29)