Moscow (VNA) – Vietnam is paying more and more attention toinstitutionalising gender equality and women empowerment, said Vice PresidentDang Thi Ngoc Thinh at a plenary session of the second Eurasian Women’s Forumin Saint Petersburg of Russia on September 20.

Thinh stated that Vietnam has set specific targets in thisfield, including increasing the participation of women in management andleadership positions, narrowing gender gap in the economic and labour fields,offering more opportunities for poor women in rural areas and ethnic minoritywomen, increasing the quality of female workers, and ensuring gender equalityin all aspects and in the family.

The country has gained positive results, as seen in the rateof women holding positions in the National Assembly and all-level People’sCouncils reaching 26-27 percent, the rate of women participating in economicactivities at 85 percent and the proportion of trained female workers at 55percent.

Vietnamese women are taking the initiative and activelytaking part in start-up and international integration, she added.

The Vietnamese leader appreciated contributions by theEurasian Women’s Forum to connecting women from different nations and culturesin Asia and Europe, promoting women’s role in all aspects of social life, thusbuilding a world of peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development.

She said that changes in the world situation such as thefourth Industrial Revolution and international integration have brought manyopportunities to women. However, they are facing a lot of challenges caused byuneven development, conflict risks, terrorism, natural disasters, climatechange and increasing protectionism.

This requires the international community, including theEurasian Women’s Forum, to join hands to solve these challenges.

Vice President Thinh called on women around the world totake the initiative to boos economic connectivity and international cooperation,and improve their knowledge by themselves to avoid being left behind.

Every nation should consider the ensuring of gender equalityand women empowerment one of the priority tasks, she suggested.

She also expressed her hope that women will expand internationalcollaboration to contribute more to the implementation of sustainabledevelopment goals.

On the sidelines of the forum, Vice President Thinh met GeorgyPoltavchenko, Governor of Saint Petersburg, who affirmed his hope to boostcooperation between the city with Ho Chi Minh City and other Vietnameselocalities and contribute to the Russia-Vietnam comprehensive strategicpartnership.

He shared that his city is working with the Vietnamese sideto build a museum on the US war in Vietnam and a Vietnam trade-culture centrein the city, and is willing to share its experience in city management,information technology, health, ship building, manufacturing, environment andtourism.

The first edition of the Eurasian Women’s Forum was alsoheld in Saint Petersburg in 2015.

This year’s forum, themed “Women for Global Security andSustainable Development”, attracted about 2,000 delegates from more than 100countries over the world.-VNA