Vietnam’s top Party leader has asked party committees and authorities at all levels to join hands with women’s organisations to promote gender equality and women’s advancement.

Addressing the fifth meeting of the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) Central Committee in Hanoi on January 9, Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh confirmed that the Union has played an important role in the national affairs.

The Party chief highlighted that in 2009, the VWU has launched dozens of movements together with numerous practical activities to support its members in beating poverty and developing the household-based economy to further improve their living conditions.

By doing so, the VWU has contributed significantly to the nation’s efforts to ensure social welfare, Manh emphasised, affirming those active contributions have been recognised by the Party and State.

In the year 2010, the VWU should focus on further improving women’s material and spiritual life by creating all possible conditions for them to well perform their nature-blessed role, the Party leader said.

He urged the VWU to encourage more women to take part in leadership and stand up against violence and harassment against them and pay attention to amending and supplementing policies suitably for women labourers.

In the year, the VWU should concentrate on assisting women to develop household-based productive businesses to better their families’ living conditions and outreaching its activities particularly to those living in rural, remote and disadvantaged areas.

At the meeting, the VWU Central Committee reviewed its work in 2009 and discussed tasks for 2010./.