Hanoi (VNA). The Ministry of Home Affairs, together with UN Women and the Australian Embassy, held an international workshop on empowering women in the care economy.
The event brought together agencies, organisations, experts and development partners to share experiences, identify policy issues and propose priorities for Vietnam. The discussions also fed into preparations for the 2027 APEC High-Level Policy Dialogue on Women and the Economy.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha said the issue is not new, but rapid changes in Vietnam and across the Asia-Pacific now demand a more systematic approach. The care economy is linked to social welfare, gender equality, the labour market, productivity, workforce quality, competitiveness and the economy’s ability to adapt to long-term demographic shifts.
Vietnam has built a legal and policy framework for the sector, including the Labour Code, the Law on Gender Equality, the Law on Social Insurance, the Law on Population and the National Strategy on Gender Equality for 2021–2030. These documents set measures to narrow gender gaps and give women and men equal opportunities.
Cutting and redistributing unpaid care work remains a priority. The strategy targets reducing women’s time spent on housework and family care to 1.7 times men’s by 2025 and 1.4 times by 2030. The ratio has fallen to 1.68, meeting the 2025 target. Unpaid work still limits women’s employment and economic advancement, and affects labour productivity and long-term workforce quality.
Pressure is growing as Vietnam’s population ages. The country is projected to enter an aged population phase in 2034. Smaller households, falling fertility and rising labour migration are increasing demand for care, while traditional models still rely heavily on families and women.
Ha said policies adopted by the Vietnamese Party and State provide a basis for a national care economy strategy covering healthcare, rehabilitation, social work, and family and community-based care. She said an inclusive care economy would create more opportunities for women to contribute to economic growth.
Caroline Nyamayemombe, UN Women Country Representative in Vietnam, said care should be treated as an important part of economic infrastructure rather than primarily as a social concern. Investment in accessible, affordable and quality care services can create stable jobs, advance gender equality and support a more sustainable economy, she said.
Population ageing, changing family structures, migration and rising demand for elder care in the Asia-Pacific make it necessary to close the gender gap in unpaid care work while improving women’s skills, economic empowerment and access to the labour market.
Building care systems requires coordination among public policy, private investment and the experience of civil society groups, workers, women, academics and communities. APEC 2027 gives Vietnam a chance to promote a regional agenda on women’s economic empowerment by linking the care economy to the green and digital economies and demographic change.
UN Women is ready to work with the ministry and partners on evidence, policies, investment and practical initiatives to advance women’s economic empowerment and develop the care economy. Participants also discussed priorities for APEC and regional cooperation. They said an effective care system requires shared responsibility and investment from governments, businesses, communities and families through care services, family-friendly workplaces, social protection, care enterprises and innovation.
Sources: VietnamPlus
