The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation jointly held a conference on August 19 in Hanoi, discussing the issue of gender equality in a balance between life and work.

The event aimed to provide information on international commitments related to labourers, like family responsibility, as well as working time and leave allowance for female workers, to achieve a harmony of work and family responsibility.

It also helped attract attention of policy-makers to the building of laws, including the Law on Labour Safety and Employment Law, while creating a chance for them to share experience in the field.

Policy-makers and researchers at the event reviewed laws and policies pertaining to gender equality and balance between life and work, as well as the effects of these policies.

Participants agreed that the Convention 165 of the International Labour Organisation clearly states the relations between work conditions, working and relaxing time and gender equality matters.

They held that the balance between life and work must be ensured through the law and policies, and supported by good models.

In Vietnam, a number of businesses have applied flexible approaches to ensure safety and health of their labourers, especially pregnant and nursing women, showing awareness improvement when it comes to the rights of labourers, they said.-VNA