Privatisation and liberalisation in Vietnam has reduced state control in various socioeconomic sectors. This threatens to weaken the role of the Vietnam Women’s Union, and thus also weaken the voice of Vietnam’s women.

The Women’s Union was originally established to mobilise women for national liberation, especially in rural and remote areas. It has about 11,000 members.

UNIFEM, with UNDP Hanoi, is working with the members of the Union to strengthen its capacity to identify and address emerging women's issues and gender concerns. The process has included:

• promoting understanding of the gender implications of macro socioeconomic reforms through preparation of of a technical paper on the impact of reform on women
• holding two Strategic Planning Workshops and one Lobbying and Negotiation Skills Workshop to produce a Strategic Plan for the development of the Union
• assisting the Union to identify the management and structural reforms needed to improve its effectiveness in the changed environment
• presentation of the strategic plan to donors
• assisting the VWU to put gender issues in development on the political agenda

Dated: 20Oct1997