The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of National Defence held the launch ceremony for the 2026 Action Month for gender equality and prevention and response to gender-based violence on the morning of November 4. The event took place at the headquarters of Military Region 2 in Phu Tho Province.
The ceremony was attended and addressed by Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Tien Hai, chair of the National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Vietnam, and Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau, deputy minister of national defence and a committee member.
Leaders of central agencies, representatives of several provinces and cities, and the UN Women representative in Vietnam also attended. The military delegation included leaders of the General Staff and the General Department of Politics, the command of Military Region 2, and representatives of units under the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence.
Gender equality is a shared responsibility
Minister Nguyen Tien Hai said gender equality means that men and women have equal positions and roles, receive equal conditions and opportunities to develop their abilities for the benefit of families and society, and share equally in the results of development.
He said gender equality is not an issue for women or men alone. It is a shared responsibility, a basic human right, a measure of social progress, and a resource for national development.
This approach is consistently reflected in the Party's policies, the Constitution, and state law. It now carries higher requirements as the country implements the resolution of the 14th National Party Congress.
Vietnam holds the Action Month for gender equality and prevention and response to gender-based violence every year from November 15 to December 15. The period is intended to turn awareness into commitments and commitments into specific actions.
The 2026 theme is “Gender equality in labor and production, a driver of economic growth and a guarantee of social progress and justice.” The minister said it stresses equal opportunities for men and women to obtain jobs and share fairly in the results of their work. That is both a matter of social justice and a driver of fast, sustainable economic growth.
Vietnam has made clear progress on gender equality in recent years. Men and women have contributed to national development, while women's role and position have continued to improve.
The minister said the 16th National Assembly, whose term runs from 2026 to 2031, has 150 women among its 500 deputies, or 30%. Women account for nearly half of the country's labor force. Women make up 52.1% of paid employees, close to the 57% figure for men and above the target in the 2021–2030 National Strategy on Gender Equality.
Women account for about 28% of directors and owners of businesses and cooperatives. More Vietnamese businesswomen and female executives are being recognized and honored at global economic forums.
Gender gaps still remain in several areas and need to be narrowed.
Men and women should share family care work
To make the month produce clear results, ministries, agencies, and local authorities were asked to prepare plans, hold launch ceremonies, and organize practical activities linked to the duties and circumstances of each organization and locality.
Agencies should also improve and effectively implement gender equality policies and laws, incorporating gender considerations into policies on labor, employment, vocational training, social welfare, and economic development.
The minister specifically called for attention to women in remote areas, ethnic minority communities, women with disabilities, and workers in the informal sector. Men and women should have opportunities to access quality jobs, digital skills, capital, and markets, while women should be encouraged to study science and technology.
Alongside stronger prevention, detection, and timely responses to all forms of gender-based violence, the minister called for men and women to share family care work and for quality, suitable care services to be developed.
He also called for broad communication about gender equality activities to raise awareness and change behavior, and for greater use of information technology and digital tools in communications. Content should be accessible, evidence-based, and visual, while gender stereotypes about both men and women should be removed. Each activity should have a concrete result and avoid formality and waste.
“Gender equality cannot be measured only by slogans or events. It must be felt in every job opportunity, every hiring decision, every family that shares responsibilities, and the timely protection of every person affected by violence. Whether man or woman, every person should be respected and have the opportunity to develop their abilities fully,” the minister said.
Practical action is needed all 365 days of the year
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau, deputy minister of national defence, said the 2026 theme was especially relevant as the Party, state, and military work to implement the resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and pursue double-digit economic growth.
He said the theme links economic growth with progress and social justice. Development should be measured not only by growth rates, but also by the ability to create opportunities and conditions for every person to participate, contribute, and share fairly in its results.
Gender equality is not limited to protecting women's legitimate rights. It directly helps improve the quality of the workforce, unlock creative potential, raise labor productivity, and strengthen the economy's competitiveness.
For the Vietnam People's Army, this requirement has particular practical importance. The army is not only the core force protecting the country, but also carries out civic and production duties.
“As science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation accelerate, fully drawing on women's intelligence, ability, and creativity is both a political responsibility and an internal requirement for improving workforce quality, renewing working methods, and raising the efficiency of labor and production. This contributes to building a revolutionary, regular, highly skilled, modern army that firmly protects the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland in the new situation,” the deputy minister said.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau said that from this historic land of the nation, it was necessary to strengthen pride, will, and unity in thought and action so that the goals of the launch ceremony would become practical results.
Party committees, political officers, commanders, service members, and civilian employees in the military pledged to join the country in observing the month with the highest level of responsibility. Their focus will follow four principles: close leadership, correct understanding, practical action, and visible change.
The deputy minister said he was confident that the Action Month for gender equality and prevention and response to gender-based violence in 2026 would produce results and spread widely through the joint efforts of all levels, sectors, and forces across the country and the military.
The work should not stop after one day or one month. Practical action is needed during all 12 months and 365 days of the year for gender equality, a fair, civilized, safe community without gender-based violence, and strong, prosperous, and sustainable national development.
As part of the program, Minister Nguyen Tien Hai and Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Gau presented gifts to workers and outstanding young professionals in labor and production.
Officers, soldiers, and members of the women's association of Military Region 2 also held a mass performance and a march after the launch ceremony.
Sources: Dân Trí
