HCM CITY — A conference on Vietnamese women’s role in the fourth industrial revolution held in HCM City on Tuesday highlighted the need for female entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and overcome entrenched barriers such as gender disparities and lack of leadership roles.

Lê Quốc Cường, the deputy director of the city’s Department of Information and Communications, said that women-led businesses played an important role in the economy and that it was critical to support women entrepreneurs who make great contributions to the country’s development.

Nguyễn Thế Hưng, deputy director of the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (VCCI) HCM City chapter, said Việt Nam now had about 200,000 women-owned enterprises.

“The fourth industrial revolution comes with many opportunities and challenges for Vietnamese women in business and brings benefits for everyone,” he said.

Labour demand, for example, will be seriously affected, especially in the textile and footwear industries, where women make up 70-80 per cent of the workforce.

An estimated 80 per cent of workers in these two industries could be replaced through automation, he said.

Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh, vice chairwoman of the Việt Nam Peace Committee, encouraged women executives to pursue their career goals and overcome barriers and challenges at work.

She called on women entrepreneurs to improve their knowledge and skills and to keep abreast of market changes as the fourth industrial revolution demands that they be creative and flexible.

The conference, which attracted around 200 women entrepreneurs and senior managers, emphasised that “when women prosper, everyone prospers”.

The event organised by VCCI in collaboration with Googleaimed to offer information, skills and networking connections to working women. — VNS