Hanoi (VNA) – Party General Secretary To Lam urged the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) to launch a new-term emulation campaign under the theme “Vietnamese Women: Aspiration – Intelligence – Compassion – Creativity – Sustainability – Happiness” during a ceremony marking its 95th anniversary in Hanoi on October 2.
In his speech, General Secretary Lam reaffirmed the Party's and State’s commitment to advancing substantive gender equality, expanding opportunities for women in leadership, governance, starting a business, and sci-tech. He outlined policy goals focused on bolstering social protection, safeguarding women and children, tackling domestic and gender-based violence, curbing online abuse, and improving early childhood education, maternity care, reproductive health, healthy and safe cultural environment.
He laid out a decade-long roadmap for women’s movements, spanning 2025 to 2035 with a vision extending to 2045. He envisioned the modern Vietnamese woman as patriotic, resilient, compassionate, digitally savvy and eco-conscious innovators, urging the VWU to expand “Sisterhood” mentoring network and promote reading, digital literacy, financial skills, and mental health as core activities.
The Party chief called for a sweeping digital transformation within the VWU, mandating each city or province to develop at least one women-led livelihood or cooperative project and every commune to produce a signature “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) item crafted by women.
He stressed early childhood education, nutrition, and child development as strategic levers for boosting productivity and population quality, pressing collaboration with police, justice, and internal affairs bodies to combat gender-based violence, trafficking, and cybercrime.
Another focus is building female leadership. The leader called for clear plans at all VWU chapters to identify, train, and promote women leaders, with emphasis on project management, digital skills, and communications training. He advocated for fostering a new generation of female officials willing to take risks and responsibility for the common good.
Additionally, he championed preserving Vietnam’s cultural heritage, including the traditional long dress, culinary arts, crafts, language, and family values.
On the global stage, he encouraged greater international engagement. The VWU should expand connections with women’s movements worldwide, international organisations, and networks of female leaders and entrepreneurs. He said Vietnamese women must raise their voice on social welfare, gender equality, entrepreneurship, digitalisation, and green development at global and regional forums.
Party committees, authorities, Vietnam Fatherland Front committees, mass organisations, businesses, and society at large were assigned to support the VWU through labour policies, maternity benefits, childcare services, housing for workers, and safe workplaces free of harassment and discrimination.
At the event, he bestowed the first-class Labour Order on the VWU for its outstanding achievements in renewing operations, representing women’s rights, and contributing to socialism building and national defence.
Other senior officials, including Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Do Van Chien and Secretary of the Party Central Committee, National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh, presented the 2025 Vietnam Women’s Awards to three collectives, while Politburo member Nguyen Van Nen and VWU Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Tuyen honoured 12 individuals.
The Presidium of the VWU Central Committee also granted the certificates of merit to 81 collectives and 255 individuals for their 2020–2025 achievements. Since 2002, the VWU has honoured 107 collectives and 206 individuals across diverse fields, earning prestigious awards like the Gold Star Order (twice), Ho Chi Minh Order (twice), three first-class Independence Orders, and many Labour Orders./.
