More than 50 percent of women and girls feel anxious in public places like buses and bus stops and more than 30 percent cannot find clean public toilets to use, according to a report.
Tran Thi Bich Loan, deputy head of the Gender Equality Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (standing), gives an opening speech at the conference. (Photo Courtesy of the ActionAid Vietnam)
Hanoi (VNA) - More than 50 percent of women and girlsfeel anxious in public places like buses and bus stops and more than 30 percentcannot find clean public toilets to use, according to a report that also blamedwomen partly for the violence and harassment against themselves in publicplaces. The report “For a safe city for women and girls” wasreleased on December 2 in Hanoi by the Department of Gender Equality (DGE)under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Research Centrefor Gender, Family and Environment in Development and ActionAid Vietnam. The report was compiled by organisations that studiedviolence against women and girls in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Uong Bi, Tra Vinh and HCMCity from August to September 2016. Researchers interviewed and surveyed more than 2,000 peopleincluding women and girls between the age of 16 and 60, and men. The report aimed to study sexual harassment against womenand girls in public places such as streets, parks, buses and public toilets,and propose appropriate policy recommendations. The research also pointed out that when violence orharassment occurs in a public place, more than 40 percent of women keep silentinstead of reporting to police. Tran Thi Bich Loan, deputy director of the DGE, said, “It isobvious that public services in many cities in Vietnam have not met demand andhave not ensured gender sensitivity as well. Public buses and toilets are useddaily by citizens but contain many risks of gender-based violence and sexualharassment.” Hoang Phuong Thao, country director of ActionAid Vietnam,said, “To solve the problem, it is necessary to get more attention from theGovernment to create safe spaces for women and girls. We need to bring a changein mind and action in each of us.” “We hope you will take action together with ActionAid Vietnam,our partners and more than 150 cities in 20 countries participating in the‘Safe Cities Campaign’ to build our cities to become safer for women and girlsas our pride,” she said. Researchers proposed the law requirestronger penalties for those who commit harassment. Cameras should be installed on busesand at bus stations. Concerned organisations need tointegrate knowledge about social and interpersonal skills for women and girls,especially about how to protect themselves. Security forces should bestrengthened to carry out patrols in public, especially in solitude places.-VNA
Vietnam participated in a dialogue held at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland on the elimination of discrimination against women and the promotion of gender equality on July 10.
The 11th Meeting of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) took place in Makati, the Philippines from October 18-20.
A project to apply the principles of empowering women at workplace has drawn the participation of 23 enterprises nationwide since it was launched in early 2014.
During his stay in China’s Guangzhou city from 1924 to 1927 to prepare for the establishment of a Communist Party to lead Vietnam’s revolution, President Ho Chi Minh founded “Thanh nien” newspaper and released its first issue on June 21, 1925.
Vietnam and Cambodia are hoped to strengthen their robust collaboration across various sectors, particularly in resolving remaining border issues to transform the border area into a zone of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.
The strategic product, managed and operated by the agency’s centre for digital contents and communications (VNA Media), is an official channel for popularising the Party and State’s information and documents as well as delivering mainstream and trustworthy news to both domestic and international audiences through various kinds of multimedia formats.
Since President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has become the voice of the people. During the resistance war against the colonialists, journalists took great personal risks to inspire patriotism and the will of rising up against foreign invaders.
The total investment exceeded 319 billion VND (12.2 million USD), including over 261 billion VND from the state budget and 57.5 billion VND mobilised from businesses, organisations, and individuals.
The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is intensifying efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of the country’s goal of having the European Commission’s “yellow card” warning lifted.
Throughout its 80-year history, the VNA has remained at the forefront of information dissemination. It has consistently delivered timely, accurate, and objective reports on both domestic and international events, serving the Party’s leadership, the State’s management, and the public’s demand for official news.
With strong support from local authorities, businesses, organisations, and residents, the province has successfully built or repaired 10,707 homes for disadvantaged households, including war veterans, families of martyrs, ethnic minority people, and low-income residents.
Throughout its resistance against colonialists and imperialists, Vietnam developed a revolutionary press that has served as a benchmark for just and legitimate causes worldwide.
Founded in 1842, the Vienna Philharmonic is regarded as a cultural ambassador of Austria, with prestigious conductors like Mahler and Karajan who shape its legacy. Its New Year’s Concert, broadcast to over 90 countries annually, stands as a global symbol of classical music excellence.
PM Chinh lauded the press’s historic role in the nation’s fight for independence and its ongoing process of national development, affirming that the Government always highly appreciates the close partnership and steadfast support of press agencies and journalists nationwide.
In recent decades, Vietnam’s mainstream media has become a reliable and persuasive channel for showcasing the nation’s development policies and achievements, especially in economic matters, according to a senior assistant editor at the Times of India.
A hub for sharing best practices, the event aims to forge solutions for financial sustainability, public media contracts, audience engagement, content innovation, and newsroom restructuring. It is also a moment for Vietnam’s media to accelerate its progress and figure out what the “revolutionary press” means in a new era.
From “Thanh nien”, Vietnam’s first revolutionary newspaper founded by Nguyen Ai Quoc (later President Ho Chi Minh) on June 21, 1925, the revolutionary press has remained devoted to its sacred missions -accompanying the nation, serving the Fatherland, and working for the people.
The official launch of Emirates’ Dubai–Da Nang route on June 2 has sparked a “tourism revolution” for Vietnam’s central coastal city. Da Nang is emerging as a top destination for high-end travelers, particularly from the lucrative Middle Eastern market.
Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin said VNA has been a consistent and reliable partner in OANA, contributing actively to the regional media landscape through content sharing, coordination, and policy discussions. Their coverage of ASEAN and Indochina issues adds valuable perspectives. Bernama appreciates the collaboration with VNA.
In this era of global integration and digitalisation, the press must adopt modern multimedia models to not only meet increasing information and communication demands but also align with the broader socio-economic development of the country.
A master plan on implementation of recommendations accepted by Vietnam under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) took effect on June 17.
Tran Thi Bich Loan, deputy head of the Gender Equality Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (standing), gives an opening speech at the conference. (Photo Courtesy of the ActionAid Vietnam) 
