Đặng Thị Én (pink blouse) shows a female worker how to treat a wooden product in Vạn Điềm Village, Thường Tín District, Hà Nôi. — Photo courtesy of GIZ

Linh Anh

HÀ NỘI In a realm where the resounding echoes of saws and the scent of freshly hewn wood enveloped the air, perpetuating a long-standing tradition of craftsmanship dominated by men, one woman, Đặng Thị Én, emerged as a beacon of change.

Her story carves a path to showcase the indispensable role women play in upholding the sustainable heartbeat of the timber industry in the country.

Quaint Vạn Điềm Village, nestled 20 kilometres south of the bustling capital city in Hà Nội’s Thường Tín District, had long been renowned for its exquisite wood carving products, cherished both domestically and internationally for their beauty and authenticity. Traditionally, it was a craft passed down through generations of men, who guarded its secrets and honed their skills to create intricate furniture, statues, and decorative items. But one woman, Đặng Thị Én, defied convention and proved that women could contribute just as effectively to the sustainable growth of the timber industry.

As the Vice President responsible for external affairs at the Vạn Điềm Carpentry Village Association, Én shared her insights with Việt Nam News. She explained: "While men handle tasks requiring physical strength, such as sawing and drilling, women excel in the delicate art of chiseling and polishing the products." In fact, in certain aspects of the craft, women's touch surpassed that of their male counterparts.

Én, a visionary leader of a timber business, was committed to steering her craft village towards a greener and more sustainable future. "Transitioning from using natural wood to sourced wood from planted forests presented a complex and challenging process," she said, acknowledging the difficulty of changing an establishment's production mindset, especially for a craft village deeply rooted in tradition. Nevertheless, Én believed that such a transformation was necessary for the village's sustainable development.

Recognising the significance of reducing deforestation, protecting the ecological environment and preserving biodiversity, Én took the first bold step. She forged a collaboration with the TaViCo Group (Tân Vĩnh Cửu) Corporation, integrating wood from planted forests into their production processes. As the association's leader, Én tirelessly communicated the benefits of this change to her members, enlightening them about the detrimental effects of deforestation. Her unwavering belief was that one day, all their products would be crafted solely from wood derived from planted forests.

In another province, Bình Định, a remarkable woman named Phan Thị Hạnh was also revolutionising the timber industry towards sustainability. As the director of Nguyên Hạnh Seedling Service Enterprise, Hạnh pioneered the supply of high-tech trees, transforming the perception of foresters regarding the use of advanced forest seedling varieties.

She told Việt Nam News: “Our objective is to contribute to increasing plantation productivity significantly from 30 tonnes per hectare to 150-180 tonnes per, bringing high economic efficiency to foresters in Việt Nam.”

Hạnh's journey began 19 years ago when she worked at Bình Định’s Department of Science and Technology. During her travels to various localities, she observed the immense potential for forestry but noticed that the lack of quality seedlings limited productivity for foresters after years of planting. This realisation drove Hạnh to establish her high-tech seeding service enterprise in 2004, despite the numerous obstacles she faced in the early days of forestry tissue culture technology.

Hạnh's dedication was widely recognised. She received the Prime Minister's Certificate of Merit for her contributions to tree planting and was honoured with the Female Innovator Award by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Beyond expanding the market for high-quality seedlings, Hạnh's enterprise created stable job opportunities for 60 workers, with 90 per cent of them being women. With a three-hectare seedling production area and a 4.5-hectare seedling nursery, her business supplied seedlings to gardeners and foresters across the country. Hạnh emphasized that these accomplishments were only the beginning, and she aimed to continue developing a sustainable forestry sector in Việt Nam.

Én and Hạnh were among the 160 participants at a recent national forum on "Gender Equality Promotion for Sustainable Forestry Development" in Quy Nhơn City, Bình Định province. Their voices joined in recognising and empowering women as key actors in the sustainable development of forestry.

Women receive their contribution certificates at the national forum of promoting gender equality for sustainable forestry development in Quy Nhơn City. — Photo courtesy of GIZ

Trần Quang Bảo, the director of the Department of Forestry under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, acknowledged the inequalities faced by women in the industry. He emphasised the importance of prioritising gender equality in the forestry sector, as it would benefit both sustainable development and foster a harmonious, progressive society for the nation as a whole.

Santiago Alonso Rodriguez, the Head of Co-operation at the German Embassy to Việt Nam, added that promoting gender equality played a vital role in shaping a sustainable forestry industry. Not only was it a matter of social justice, but it also influenced the long-term viability and success of the sector.

By actively involving women and men from diverse social groups in forest management and protection, their varied roles, needs, and experiences could be recognised and addressed. This inclusivity would lead to more effective decision-making processes and ultimately result in sustainable forest practices.

Hoàng Lạc Tú Minh, Chief Accountant of Quy Nhơn Forestry Co Ltd, emphasised the imperative of mainstreaming gender and fostering gender equality through heightened awareness, eradication of prejudices, and the elimination of discriminatory practices. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of bolstering monitoring, inspection, and evaluation processes to ensure compliance with gender equality laws in the leadership and management of officials.

Én, Hạnh, and countless other women were rewriting the narrative of the timber industry. Their unwavering dedication and visionary leadership ensured that women's contributions were not only recognised but also instrumental in the sustainable development of forestry in Việt Nam.

Through their resilience and determination, they paved the way for a future where gender equality in the industry was not just an aspiration but a reality, creating a harmonious and progressive society deeply rooted in sustainable practices. VNS