Delegates at the event. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY – Việt Nam reaffirmed its commitment to regional gender equality efforts at a consultation workshop held in HCM City on Thursday by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoH), in collaboration with UN Women and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Việt Nam.

Hà Thị Minh Đức, Vice Director of the MoH’s Department of International Cooperation, affirmed Việt Nam’s position as a proactive and responsible ASEAN member, highlighting the country’s commitment to working closely with regional partners to promote gender equality and eliminate violence against women and girls.

She expressed hope for continued collaboration, both within ASEAN and at the national level, towards the realisation of ASEAN Vision 2045.

The official praised the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC)’s work over the past 15 years. Through its five-year work plans, she noted, the commission has significantly contributed to promoting gender equality, child protection, and gender mainstreaming across ASEAN, addressing both ongoing and emerging challenges affecting women and children.

Over the years, Việt Nam has actively integrated ASEAN’s action plan goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into national laws and policies, said Đức.

She added that the country has strengthened awareness campaigns to shift social behaviours, and implemented numerous support models for women survivors of violence, such as one-stop service centres, hotlines, and targeted training for professionals in the justice, health, and security sectors. 

Speaking at the event, Matt Jackson, UNFPA Representative in Việt Nam, commended the country’s local innovations and urged the adoption of a comprehensive, multi-sectoral response to violence against women and children, especially in the context of natural disasters and crises.

Việt Nam should enact policies that ensure digital safety and prevent online gender-based violence, he recommended, encouraging a shift from awareness-raising to a more comprehensive prevention strategy, including increased investment in social work personnel serving all age groups to eliminate all forms of violence.

The ASEAN Secretariat provided updates on the implementation of the ACWC Work Plan 2021–2025 and ongoing preparations for the next work plan for 2026–2030. The Secretariat also discussed Việt Nam’s key priorities to be reflected in the new regional agenda.

Participants reviewed progress on the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (2016–2025), noting achievements since the mid-term review in 2021. Feedback was also gathered on Vietnam’s end-of-term review report, and the ASEAN Guidelines on Disability Inclusion in policies and programmes targeting violence against women and girls.

Delegates proposed priorities for the forthcoming 2026–2035 ASEAN Regional Plan of Action, stressing the need for inclusive approaches that link efforts to eliminate violence against women and children with disability inclusion and cross-sectoral coordination. VNS