A workshop was held in Hanoi on March 23 to seek measures to promote gender equality in political activities.

The event was organised by the National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Vietnam in conjunction with Oxfam in Vietnam, the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender-Family-Women and Adolescents (CSAGA), and the Centre for Education Promotion and Empowerment of Women (CEPEW).

It focused on updating gender equality-related issues in Vietnam and rolling out solutions to realise the goals of the National Strategy on Gender Equality for 2011-2020 on enhancing female participation in managerial and leadership positions, aiming to narrow the gender gap in politics.

Participants analysed the involvement of women in elected bodies and recent initiatives providing training for key female personnel working in politics.

Statistics reported at the workshop revealed the rate of women in political entities remains low resulting from limited public awareness of gender equality and the role of women, especially in rural and remote areas.

Attendees suggested it is necessary to enhance trainings for leadership of Party committees at all levels and managerial officials in the coming time.

They also stressed the need to intensify communication efforts to raise public awareness of gender equality both broadly and in politics and continue to build a strategy for training core female personnel serving in the government and sectors.-VNA