Providing maternal and child health care services in Hà Giang province. — VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI — As one of the first countries to participate in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Việt Nam has made significant efforts to fulfill its national commitments through various measures aimed at ensuring gender equality in all areas of social life, bringing in many encouraging achievements.

To meet its responsibilities as a CEDAW member state, Việt Nam has developed policies and established legal regulations to enhance the status of women in all aspects of society and to ensure women's rights are equal to those of men.

The promulgation of the Gender Equality Law in 2006 and the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control in 2007 (amended in 2022) provides important legal foundations to protect the rights and interests of family members, especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, and children, who are at higher risk of becoming victims of domestic violence.

Việt Nam has intensified efforts to disseminate and promote legal regulations on gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence. The country has mobilised the entire population to actively participate in implementing effective policies and programmes related to gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence. This includes enhancing education on self-protection and prevention skills for women and children.

Through these activities, Việt Nam aims to raise awareness among officials, civil servants, workers, and community members about the fundamental issues and significance of preventing domestic violence and promoting gender equality within families. The goal is to effectively implement the Marriage and Family Law, the Gender Equality Law, and the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control, helping to build happy families, enhance traditional family values, strengthen cohesive communities, and create sustainable family development.

Hà Nội - bright spot in combating violence against women

In Hà Nội, the municipal Women’s Union plays a pivotal role in promoting gender equality and has established many innovative models in preventing domestic violence and protecting women and children. These include initiatives such as "Safe and Friendly City for Women and Girls," "Safe Lodgings," "Safe Apartments," and "Families Saying No to Violence."

There are also creative models like the "Men's Club Against Domestic Violence" and the "Men's Club Pioneering in Preventing Domestic Violence." As of July 2024, the Hà Nội Women’s Union has set up 98 advisory teams with 885 members in 18 districts and 80 communes, wards, and towns to help resolve cases that protect the legal rights and interests of women and children.

Particularly, among the effective operational models in Hà Nội, one that cannot be overlooked is the "Trusted Address - Community Shelter" model. This initiative provides emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence and gender-based violence and has been piloted since August 2018 at 360 Phúc Tân street, Phúc Tân ward, Hoàn Kiếm district. Another effective model is the "Safe House" shelter operated by the Việt Nam Women's Union. It serves as a temporary refuge for women and children affected by gender-based violence, offering comprehensive and free emergency support services.

According to Nguyễn Thúy An, a social worker at the Social Assistance Centre of the "Safe House," from 2007 to June 2024, the "Safe House" has received and supported over 1,700 women and children who are victims or suspected victims of gender-based violence, providing consultancy for more than 17,500 cases involving over 21,000 individuals.

Grassroots officials directly come to families to effectively and specifically communicate about women’s rights.

Eliminating violence against women: Call for greater community involvement

Despite significant efforts from both the political system and a growing awareness among the public, the issue of violence against women in Việt Nam has not decreased as expected. According to the Government's 2023 report on implementing the national gender equality goals, there were 3,193 victims of domestic violence in Việt Nam in 2023, of which 2,628 were female, accounting for 82.3 per cent, while 565 were male, making up 17.7 per cent. A national study on violence against women conducted by the General Statistics Office in 2019 revealed that this issue remains hidden in society, as over 90 per cent of victims do not seek help from authorities, half of them have never told anyone about their experiences of violence.

"Victims of domestic violence are often women because many believe that household matters should be 'kept behind closed doors' or that discussing them is shameful... so they compromise and hide their abuse. More dangerously, many women believe it is their fault, that they are not good enough, lack value, and do not deserve respect and love," shared a victim of spousal abuse who requested to remain anonymous.

The United Nations has designated November 25 as a day against gender-based violence since 1981. This date was selected to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 by order of the country's ruler, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).

This is also an opportunity for individuals and organisations advocating women's rights around the world, regardless of languages, skin colours, or ethnicities, to launch campaigns that ignite the struggle to eliminate violence against women.

With the support of the international community and the United Nations (UN) - the agency that initiated these efforts, significant progress has been made in recent years towards enhancing the status of women's equality. Notable events include the UN General Assembly's adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1979 - an important document that provides a framework for implementing women's rights, ratified by 189 countries, including Việt Nam; the declaration to eliminate violence against women in 1998; and the designation of November 25 each year as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in 1999. — VNS