On World Population Day 11.7: New changes promote gender equality

The proportion of women participating in Party committees and People's Councils at all levels is increasing. In the photo: Comrade Dang Thi Khanh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tu Ky town, chairs a meeting.

Promoting the role of women

Hai Duong women account for about 51% of the population, 52% of the social workforce, playing an important role in the local socio-economic development. In recent years, the Party Committees and authorities at all levels in the province have always closely followed the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's laws to implement programs on promoting gender equality. On September 1, 2021, the Provincial People's Committee issued a plan to implement the national strategy on gender equality for the 2021-2030 period with specific goals and solutions. The position, role and image of women are increasingly evident in all areas of social life in Hai Duong.

The proportion of women participating in Party committees and People's Councils at all levels is increasing. After the Party Congresses at all levels for the 2020-2025 term, the proportion of women participating in the Provincial Party Executive Committee reached 15.38%, an increase of 0.9% compared to the previous term; the proportion of women participating in district-level Party committees reached 18.8%, an increase of 6.5%; the proportion of women participating in grassroots Party Executive Committees reached 21%, an increase of 4%.

Hai Duong always cares about, creates conditions and opportunities for female cadres to develop. Some agencies that have never had female leaders now do. Female leaders and managers in many units have not only increased in number but also become younger, meeting the requirements of tasks in the new situation. Comrade Vu Xuan Dat, Standing Deputy Secretary of Tu Ky District Party Committee, said that the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee has 2 female comrades. The grassroots Party Committee and government also have many female comrades. They are all qualified, hard-working, dedicated, and have completed and excellently completed assigned tasks. For example, comrade Dang Thi Khanh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tu Ky town. From 2020 to now, she and the local leadership have united, led and directed the successful implementation of political tasks, socio-economic development, creating clear changes in many fields. Tu Ky town Party Committee has continuously completed its tasks excellently...

In terms of economy, Hai Duong women are increasingly asserting their position and role. The number of businesses led and successfully operated by women is increasing. Mr. Nguyen Cong Hai, Chairman of the Hai Duong Province Young Entrepreneurs Association, said: “The association has about 20 female members who are business owners, most of whom are dynamic, creative, making important contributions to economic development and actively participating in implementing social security policies.”

Hundreds of Hai Duong women are playing the role of educational managers, with high educational qualifications. In social life, Hai Duong women are the nucleus, contributing important voices and actions in responding to and implementing patriotic emulation movements and campaigns at the local level, building cultural families, villages, and residential areas...

Agencies, departments, branches, organizations and localities in Hai Duong have many activities to care for and help disadvantaged women and those in difficult circumstances. From 2007-2022, the Women's Union at all levels in Hai Duong coordinated to organize nearly 2,500 training sessions on knowledge of the Law on Gender Equality and Prevention of Domestic Violence for more than 258,000 people; vocational training for nearly 66,000 women, job introduction, and labor export for more than 26,000 people...

Propaganda work carried out regularly and continuously will contribute to creating positive changes in implementing gender equality (Photo provided by the facility)

Solving the challenge

This year's World Population Day, July 11, has the theme: "Harnessing the power of gender equality: Raising the voices of women and girls to unleash the limitless potential of our world". This shows that although the work of promoting gender equality has achieved many changes, there are still many challenges and difficulties that need to be resolved.

The gender imbalance at birth in Hai Duong remains high, with 118.5 boys/100 girls in 2022. The preference for sons is the root cause of the gender imbalance at birth. The number of abortions is still high, and the situation of choosing the gender of the fetus is still quite common. In the long term, the consequences that this situation has on society are huge. "One of the key solutions in controlling gender imbalance at birth is to actively promote propaganda about gender equality, the role and position of women and girls in society. The entire political system needs to get involved more strongly and decisively with appropriate solutions," proposed Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien, Head of the Provincial Department of Population and Family Planning.

Every year, Hai Duong has hundreds of cases of domestic violence, with the victims being mainly women. This is certainly not an accurate number, as many women and girls are victims of violence but do not speak up. Therefore, it is important to establish more legal aid centers, models, and clubs to promote, help, and protect women from violence. There needs to be a form of propaganda and mobilization so that abused women dare to speak up to protect themselves, justice, and equality. Condemn and strictly handle those who commit acts of domestic violence...

DAWN