Efforts to
increase female NA deputy numbers

The National Committee for the Advancement of Women
(NCAW) held a talk in Hanoi on April 14 on the proportion of women in the
National Assembly and People’s Council representatives in the 2011-2016 term.

Photo: Vietnam+

In her opening remark, NCAW Chairman
and Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan
stressed that to boost the development of women, the Party and State have issued
many policies and laws that create favourable conditions for women to become
involved in political activities in general, and the NA and People’s Councils at
all levels in particular.

However, the proportion of women
engaged in politics is yet to match their potential, she said.

At present, the number of women
holding key positions in State agencies is very low with one minister and 10 out
of 100 deputy ministers. Women only account for 4.67 percent of provincial
People’s Council chairpersons and 1.59 percent of provincial People’s Committee
chairpersons.

According to the minister, the
biggest challenge for the implementation of gender equality in the political
sector in Vietnam is social preconceptions. In addition, several different
regulations for women and men’s retirement and training limit women’s
participation in various aspects of social life.

Emphasising the important and
decisive role of the media in changing public awareness of gender equality and
the role, position and contributions of women, Ngan asked media agencies to
continue boosting activities and messages in support of women during the
elections.
Media agencies should focus on disseminating positive stories on women’s
participation in managing agencies in order to help raise the proportion of
women in the NA and People’s Council in the 2011-2016 term to 30 percent and
above, she said.

VN,
Romania boost co-operation

Viet Nam
and Romania have agreed to give priority to educational co-operation following a
meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem and
Chairman of the Romanian House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Relations
Koridi Attila yesterday.

Deputy
PM Khiem praised Romania for its skills in education and training, saying many
high-ranking leaders in Viet Nam’s petrol and construction sectors had studied
in the country.

He
expressed his delight at the development of the two countries’ co-operative
relations, especially in education, technology transfer and chemicals.

The
Deputy PM said he hoped the visit would contribute to further boosting
co-operative relations between the two nations’ legislative bodies and States as
well as their bilateral relations in general.

Koridi
Attila said bilateral diplomatic relations, which were established 61 years ago,
would act as a solid foundation for the two governments and peoples to
co-operate in many fields for mutual development.

He added
that Romania would serve as a bridge linking Viet Nam and the EU after Romania
joins the union.

Both
host and guest expressed pleasure at a protocol on defence co-operation recently
signed between the two governments.

Deputy PM receives DPRK envoy

Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem yesterday, April 14, warmly
received Ambassador Kim Chang-il of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Khiem
expressed his pleasure with expanding co-operative relations between Viet Nam
and the DPRK during recent times.

He said
he hoped Ambassador Kim Chang-il would actively contribute to strengthening
friendship relations between the two countries during his working term in Viet
Nam.

Khiem
also conveyed his wishes to the DPRK government and people to continue to gain
more achievements in the national construction and development process.

For his
part, Kim Chang-il praised the great achievements that Vietnamese people made
under the leadership of the Vietnamese Communist Party.

He said
highly valued the key role of Viet Nam in the international arena and affirmed
to strive to further promote relations and co-operation between the two nations.

VNN/VOV/VNS