Vietnam’s efforts in ensuring equality spotlighted at IPU session

Dhaka (VNA) – National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong has highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in tackling inequality and ensuring fairness for all at the plenary session of the 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Dhaka, Bangladesh on April 3.

As a developing country that is overcoming historical difficulties, Vietnam is aware of the need for socio-economic development along with ensuring equality and fairness for all people, she stated.

Vietnam has reached the majority of the UN Millennium Development Goals with three targets completed ahead of schedule: poverty reduction, primary school universalisation and gender equality promotion and women’s empowerment.

The country has also built a national action plan to implement 17 global sustainable development goals as well as 169 specific goals stated in the 2030 Agenda with detailed measures to realise goal 10 on ensuring equal opportunities and reducing inequality.

The NA Vice Chairwoman also noted that the NA  built the 2013 Constitution, while completing a legal system with various laws, including the Labour Code, Laws on Health Insurance, Gender Equality, Trade Union, Information Access, Youth, Persons with Disabilities, Children Care and Protection, the Elderly and Beliefs and Religions.

Additionally, the country has issued policies on socio-economic development while improving the living conditions of ethnic minority groups, she added.

However, she said that Vietnam also faces many difficulties such as climate change, limited resources for social areas and unequal development among regions.

She called for continued support from countries and international organisations in management and governance to fulfill all development goals.

At the session, themed “Redressing inequalities: Delivering on dignity and well-being for all”, NA Vice Chairwoman Phong proposed eight recommendations, including the strengthening of the UN in the field, speeding up the implementation of targets in the sustainable development goal 10 in each country and reforming the operation and agenda of multilateral economic, trade and financial organisations to make sure developing countries can raise their voice at global economic-financial institutions.

It is necessary to develop a network connecting regional organisations to respond to non-traditional security matters such as natural disaster, climate change, sea level rise and pandemics, she stated.

She asked countries to continue completing their institutions and enhance the effectiveness of policy making and national governance to reduce inequality and erase regulations with discrimination.

She also called on developed countries to continue supporting developing ones through sharing experience and technology, while encouraging countries to build tools to evaluate inequality.

Parliaments should promote their legislative and supervision role over the governments and support governments in tackling inequality, she proposed, asking the IPU to continue strengthening cooperation mechanisms with members in sharing experience.-VNA