Vietnam hosts workshop on gender integration in rural transport

Illustrative image (Photo:VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - About 80 delegates from 11 countries in the East Asia-Pacific region are gathering in Vietnam from April 4 to 6 to discuss issues relating to gender integration in rural transport operation, according to the World Bank in Vietnam.

The workshop is part of a regional Gender Capacity Programme for Rural Transport projects, including exchange visits, technical assistance to participating countries, and a forum representing rural transport projects to discuss ways to reach male and female beneficiaries effectively.

The event invited technical experts from the social and transport sectors, national gender institutions and policy, and project management levels.

The programme’s objective is to intensify capacity for government bodies in the region to meaningfully tackle issues on gender inequalities in transport projects through learning experiences from in and outside the region.

It will also help participating clients form action plans which are based on suitable practices from relevant lessons from other rural road projects and modify them to fit particular conditions in accordance with individual project development objectives.

The WB is supporting peer-to-peer learning through the contribution of professional ideas that can be transferred, replicated and scaled up for development works.

During the three days of workshops participants will discuss the rationale and implementation for integrating gender in the project design of rural roads; institutionalise effective road maintenance and poverty reduction as well as the gender aspects of issues of road safety.

Examples from countries in the region such as Vietnam, Laos, China, Nepal, India, and the Solomon Islands on integrating gender in project designs are addressed at the event.

Participants will visit the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai to learn firsthand the operation of local women’s road maintenance groups in four communes of Bac Ha district, focusing on communes and village roads.-VNA