A dialogue on legal and social challenges for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community was held in Hanoi on June 5.

The first ever national dialogue drew the participation of social organisations, United Nation (UN) organisations, development partners and the LGBT community’s representatives nationwide.

Participants at the dialogue discussed progress of the LGBT community in Vietnam, as well as difficulties by the community in education, health care and employment opportunities, and family, media, community and politic issues.

LGBT representatives shared their successes and difficulties in their life, family and society, and at school and workplace.

Social organisations presented projects to raise public awareness on the LGBT community in the society and lessen discrimination against the community.

The dialogue was organised by the Information Connecting and Sharing (ICS), an organisation of the LGBT community, within the framework of the project “Being LGBT in Asia”, a regional joint initiative of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to evaluate the real situation of the LGBT community in Asia.

Vietnam is among six countries participating in the project.-VNA