Enhancing gender equality in the field of labor and employment

In recent years, with the support of party committees and authorities at all levels, women and women’s union members in the province have increasingly affirmed their roles in all areas of social life. Their contributions, particularly in the fields of economy, labor, and employment, have significantly advanced the province’s overall development.

Female workers have gained increasingly favorable access to labor and employment, thanks to the support of all levels and sectors.

Strengthening propaganda work

To create jobs, enhance employment opportunities for female workers, and reduce the gender gap in labor and employment, party committees at all levels have intensified their efforts. They have disseminated the Party’s guidelines, policies, and state laws for female workers; supported job creation and entrepreneurship through job exchanges; and facilitated access to loans for economic development. Additionally, employment expansion initiatives have been carried out through the National Employment Fund.

Ms. Pham Thi Thu Huong, a member of the Provincial Party Committee and director of the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, stated: "Every year, the department collaborates with the Provincial Labor Federation, Provincial Social Insurance, and Provincial Women’s Union to organize training courses. These courses guide workers on labor laws, employment, wages, social insurance, and unemployment insurance. We also engage in dialogues with businesses to resolve challenges related to policies for workers, particularly female workers.“She further added,”Our efforts aim to address difficulties in job access and market connections for female workers."

Previously, inequalities in labor, employment, and the working environment were evident in aspects such as recruitment, job types, and salaries. To address this, outreach and awareness efforts have been critical in empowering women to overcome internal “barriers” and assert their core values. These efforts have opened doors to achieving gender equality in the workplace.

In 2024, the provincial trade unions at all levels promoted gender, policies, and laws for female workers in conjunction with the celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8), Vietnamese Family Day (June 28), and Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20), meeting the interests of female workers and attracting over 76,000 female employees to participate. Policies, recruitment conditions, and remuneration policies on salary, bonus, occupational safety and hygiene, maternity, and periodic health check-ups for female employees in agencies, units, and enterprises are increasingly improved and enhanced.

Thanks to good propaganda work, female employees' awareness of their roles and positions in the family and society has had many positive changes; female employees have made efforts and confidently asserted themselves in all areas of life in general and in the field of labor and employment in particular.

Hoang Minh Forestry Import and Export Company, Viet Tri City, creates jobs for hundreds of female employees.

Promoting gender equality

Currently, the proportion of female employees aged 15 and over in the province accounts for 49.9%, of which female employees in rural areas account for 83.3%. To ensure gender equality in the labor sector, contributing to improving the position of individuals in the family and society, the province has focused on implementing policies and vocational training for workers in rural areas and ethnic minority areas, prioritizing vocational training support for women. Organizing many training courses, transferring science and technology; creating favorable conditions for women to access capital, information, policies, and opportunities to participate in production and business.

According to Ms. Pham Thi Kim Loan, member of the Provincial Party Committee and chairwoman of the Provincial Women’s Union, vocational training and job creation activities are focused on improving the quality of the Provincial Women’s Union at all levels. In 2024, the union at all levels coordinated with related sectors to organize vocational training for nearly 2,000 female workers, over 73% of whom were introduced to jobs and self-employment after vocational training, with stable income. Supporting capacity building for nearly 1,000 women to start businesses and start businesses; supporting the establishment of 3 cooperatives, 13 cooperative groups, and 17 economic development linkage groups... In the province, many enterprises and individual business models owned by women have been established. Many establishments and enterprises create jobs for dozens of female workers. Female entrepreneurs and owners of production and business establishments are actively contributing to ensuring social security and economic development.

Vocational training policies and programs have created favorable conditions for women to achieve gender equality in the field of labor and employment. Sectors and levels have organized regular trading sessions at job exchanges in the province; supported workers to create jobs, maintain, and expand jobs from the National Employment Fund; investigated and collected information on labor recruitment needs of businesses, on employment status, and on unemployment status of workers to connect supply and demand... Proactively coordinate to organize inspections and monitor businesses to implement legal regulations on gender equality to ensure the rights of workers, especially female workers.

By doing a good job of promoting gender equality in the field of labor and employment, women of all walks of life in the province have always promoted their internal strength, strived to develop the economy, and created jobs for many female workers, contributing to the overall socio-economic development of the province. The implementation of gender equality in the field of economy, labor, and employment in the area has been associated with the local socio-economic development program, contributing to enhancing the position and role of women in the family and in all areas of social life.

Ngoc Tuan