The Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) Central Committee opened its eighth meeting in Hanoi on Jan. 6 to discuss issues relating to grassroots women’s congresses in preparation for the upcoming 11 th National Women’s Congress.

The three-day meeting is scheduled to discuss and adopt the union’s plan of action on further renewal of agenda content and methods of operation, as well as to review activities in 2010 and discuss tasks for 2011, Chairwoman of the VWU Central Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa said at the opening session.

The union will also take this opportunity to focus on the continued implementation of the compassion movement, Hoa added.

The draft action plan lists outstanding issues, including renewal, along with expansion of democracy in all activities of the union, promotion of women’s direct democratic rights, and the care, protection and fulilment of demands and aspirations as well promotion of women’s roles, according to Nguyen Thi Kim Thuy, Vice Chairwoman of the VWU Central Committee.

Thuy said the tasks in the draft action plan aim to raise social awareness and responsibility on women-related works and gender equality, create a breakthrough in strategy making consultancy, policy mobilisation relating to women’s legitimate rights and benefits.

The union is urged to make positive changes on the quality and efficiency of its support for women’s economic development, she said./.