HCM CITY (VNS)— A series of events were held in Hà Nội and HCM City during the weekend in celebration of International Women’s Day.

The Việt Nam Volunteer Information Resource Centre, in collaboration with UN Women – United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – as well as the embassies of Canada and Belgium organised a bus journey on Sunday to promote gender equality among the young people of Hà Nội.

Secretary for the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, Nguyễn Phi Long, said that young people play a key role in changing society’s mindset and behaviour to support gender equality. 

UN Women Country Representative in Vietnam, Shoko Ishikawa, said that the journey’s objective was to help young people understand the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

She added that many stereotypes and prejudices about both men and women must be changed in order to help them achieve their life goals.

The journey was part of the UN Women’s HeForShe and #HowAbnormal campaigns to abolish gender stereotypes and violence, and promote equality.

On the same day, more than 5,000 people took part in a walking event in HCM City’s District 7 to promote awareness for the development of women.

The event, which was organised by the HCM City Association of Women Entrepreneurs to raise funds in support of disadvantaged women in the city, attracted a large number of participants from the city’s administrative offices, organisations and universities. — VNS