Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked the Việt Nam Women’s Union (VWU) to team up with ministries, agencies and localities to better protect women’s rights and interests. — Photo nguyenxuanphuc.org

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked the Việt Nam Women’s Union (VWU) to team up with ministries, agencies and localities to better protect women’s rights and interests.

The union should revamp its operation, diversify its activities and accelerate the implementation of gender equality-related programmes in order to raise the percentage of female officials in State and people-elected agencies, he said at a working session with the VWU Presidium in Hà Nội on Saturday.

The Government leader also urged Party Committees and authorities at all levels to pay more attention to caring for and supporting women in difficult circumstances.

He highlighted the coordination between the VWU and the Government in disseminating the guidelines of the Party and the State’s policies and laws among women, encouraging them to cooperate in national socio-economic development.

He agreed with the Presidium’s proposals to dovetail a campaign on family building with the national target programme on new-style rural area building, and to develop a project on assisting female entrepreneurs during the 2017-2027 period.

Praising achievements the VWU recorded over the recent past, the PM said campaigns on socio-economic development and gender equality launched by the organisation contributed to the growth of localities and the country at large.

With increasing members, the VWU had affirmed its role and position as the country’s leading socio-political organisation, he stressed.

Care for workers

PM Phúc has agreed with the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL)’s proposal to pilot a project on building residential areas, supermarkets, pre-schools, cultural houses and legal assistance centres serving workers at 15 industrial and processing zones at a working session with the VGCL Presidium on Saturday.

He urged the confederation to play a more active role in studying labourers’ working and living conditions as well as their legitimate aspirations, and report them to the Government.

The leader called on the VGCL to step up its coordination with the Government in protecting workers’ legitimate rights and interests.

Closer collaboration is needed to fulfill the two sides’ set targets, firstly implementing emulation campaigns aiming to spur production and economic development, and raise labourers’ living standards, according to the Prime Minister.

PM Phúc asked all-level trade unions to partner with relevant agencies and employers to improve productivity, thus increasing workers’ incomes.

According to the confederation, labourers are concerned about regional minimum wage, social and health insurance, infrastructure at industrial and processing zones, labour safety and hygiene, and challenges stemming from Việt Nam’s international integration, especially after the country joins the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

The PM said he has assigned the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to submit the draft Law on Minimum Wage so that the Government can suggest adding the document to the 14th National Assembly’s law-making programme during its upcoming session. — VNS