Vietnam has become one of five countries benefiting from a Spanish-funded programme on enhancing gender equality in politics, which was kicked off in the central city of Da Nang on May 31.

Along with Vietnam , the programme, launched by the Spanish-based Peace and Development organisation (PyD), targets Bangladesh , Cambodia , the Philippines and East Timor .

It aims to raise women’s political role and citizen responsibility through management initiatives at both national and regional levels on the basis of gender equality.

The programme will create forums to exchange and analyse methods to increase women’s engagement in politics and community regardless of ethnic minority, age, social class, religion and language.

In Vietnam, the project will be carried out in Hanoi, Da Nang, the central province of Quang Nam and other localities between 2010 and 2014 with a total investment of 1.5 million EUR, funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

The Departments of Home Affairs and Women’s Unions in Da Nang and Quang Nam will become the programme’s municipal and provincial partners.

After ten years of implementing an action plan for women’s advancement, the proportion of women in Da Nang engaging in politics and society is increasing, with 44.9 percent of female officials being dispatched to follow graduate and postgraduate training, and 38.76 percent attending professional and management training courses. The number of female delegates to the municipal People’s Council in the 2011-2016 tenure makes up 28 percent, up 6 percent compared with the previous term./.