Last week, Swedish Ambassador Ann Måwe attended an event by Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân at the presidential palace to celebrate the Vietnamese women’s day together with representatives of the Office of the President, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam Women’s Union, and female Ambassadors, Chargé d’affaires and heads of international organizations in Vietnam.
During the event, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan affirmed that promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls is always a consistent priority of the State of Vietnam. Over the years, Vietnam has made remarkable progress on women’s rights and women’s leadership in many areas.
Speaking on Vietnamese Women’s Day and gender equality, Ambassador Ann Måwe said in a statement, that Vietnamese Women’s Day offers an excellent occasion to cherish and honor women of all walks of life, their rights, and their contribution to society. It is also a day to reflect on gender equality in society at large.
During the event, Ambassador Ann Måwe took the opportunity to raise the double burden of women in Vietnam and cited two Vietnamese quotes:
”Excel in national affairs, excel in domestic affairs” and “If a child is unwise, it is the mother and also the grandmother who are to blame”.
“On the one hand; the positive aspects of Vietnamese women’s massive presence on the labor market, in all different sectors. But on the other hand, the remaining challenge of women taking all the responsibility for unpaid domestic work.”
“Men must do more unpaid domestic work and be more active caretakers of their children. More gender equality at home benefits women, men, and the economy. It leads to a more equal society and more women in top positions,” the Ambassador said.
