United Nations in Viet Nam

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth's environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Viet Nam.

Learn more

Story

09 December 2022

Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All

“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,” is the first line of the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In one sentence, it encapsulates the principles and values that we, as a human family have promised to uphold and fulfil 74 years ago. It is a powerful reminder of the proclamation made by the United Nations General Assembly on this very day in 1948. Each year, hence, on the 10th of December, we observe Human Rights Day on the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. By celebrating Human Rights Day, we continue to reaffirm the promise of the Declaration – to uphold universal, indivisible and inalienable human rights and fundamental freedoms for everyone, everywhere. 2023 marks the 45th anniversary of Viet Nam’s membership to the United Nations. During the recent visit of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, he reminded us that “Human rights are at the heart of unleashing the best of our societies. They build solidarity. They promote inclusion, equality, and growth. They underwrite freedom. They ensure lasting stability”, emphasizing that upholding human rights in all its dimensions, remain vital to the next chapter of Viet Nam’s development success story. Our world today continues to face a multitude of challenges, from pandemics to conflicts to climate change. Across the globe, social injustice pervades societies; fundamental freedoms of religion and belief, of opinion and expression are under attack; and the vulnerable suffer most from inequality and discrimination, unable to exercise their rights. Viet Nam has not been spared from impact of global crises. While the country is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it needs at the same time to cope with the increasing food and energy prices from the fallout of the war in Ukraine, while battling natural disasters and impact of climate change. Unfortunately, the poor and those least capable to overcome these shocks disproportionately bear the brunt of these crises. In Viet Nam, remote and ethnic minority communities are being left behind. Only 1/5 of ethnic minority households have access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene services, compared to Kinh and Hoa majority households. Despite high coverage for health insurance, access to health services is low among certain ethnic minority populations. While 87% of Mong women have health insurance, only 37% deliver in a health facility. Maternal mortality is also 2-3 time higher among ethnic minorities than the national average. Early childhood education enrolment amongst 3- to 5-year-olds from ethnic groups is only 66% compared to 92% nationwide. Multi-dimensional poverty among Mong, Dao and Khmer groups are 45%, 20 and 19.2% respectively, while the rate for the majority Kinh group was only 2.8% in 2020. The climate crisis exacerbates vulnerabilities faced by ethnic minority groups. Drought, heat waves and flooding lead to climate change-induced insecurity. Smallholder agriculture, particularly poor, ethnic minority and women farmers are ultimately the most severely impacted. All these development challenges threaten dignity and equality in rights, including health, food, education, an adequate standard of living, social assistance, and even to life itself. The realities that vulnerable individuals and communities face in their lives and livelihoods serve as a reminder and push for our continued action to integrate human rights in all development priorities – from climate action, to labour and social protection, to economic transformation – and put people at the centre of development. On 28 July 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a historic resolution that gave universal recognition to the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment (R2HE). This important international legal development reinforces action in over 150 countries where the R2HE is already recognized. Viet Nam’s election to the Human Rights Council for the period 2023-2025 presents a great responsibility but also an important opportunity to redouble efforts in protecting and promoting economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights in line with international human rights standards. Among Viet Nam’s pledges as part of its election to the Human Rights Council, it is encouraging that Viet Nam prioritised upholding its commitments and obligations under the international human rights treaties, of which Viet Nam has ratified 7 out of 9; strengthening education on human rights; and addressing the impacts of climate change on the enjoyment of human rights, with particular attention on the rights of vulnerable groups. As Viet Nam commences its membership to the Human Rights Council, it would be critical to translate these commitments into concrete actions, and to demonstrate even stronger evidence of the protection and promotion of human rights. The United Nations, as a proud and long-standing partner of Viet Nam over the past 45 years, will continue to work closely with the Government of Viet Nam, development partners and civil society, to keep human rights at the centre of all development efforts. Renewed collaboration and cooperation, including meaningful inclusion and participation of diverse non-government actors and communities, will be crucial for promoting the vibrant dialogue needed to help Viet Nam progress on a broad range of human rights. Together, we can fulfil the promise of a human family that upholds dignity, freedom and justice for all. Pauline Tamesis is the UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam. To remind us of the relevance and legacy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ahead of its 75th Anniversary celebration next year, the United Nations is launching the year-long campaign “UDHR 75: Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All”. For more information, please visit: https://www.ohchr.org/en/get-involved/campaign/human-rights-day

1 of 5

Students with visual impairments singing

Story

09 December 2022

UNIDO’s technical advice enables first batch of Vietnamese pomelos exported to the US

Viet Nam’s first batch of pomelos was exported to the United States from Ben Tre Province (Mekong River Delta) on Monday, November 28, 2022, at a ceremony organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the provincial People's Committee. After nearly six years of negotiations, the US market is unlocked to Viet Nam’s fresh pomelos. The export was enabled by efforts from pomelo value chain actors, including policy-makers, exporters, farmers, business providers and also UNIDO’s experts. Pomelos exported to the United States have very strict pest control requirements, which required a lot of time in training farmers as well as changing the farming process to meet the requirements and improving the linkage chain. UNIDO Viet Nam and the Institute of Agricultural Engineering & Technology After Harvest (VIAEP) have been on the ground providing direct technical support in post-harvest treatment to this very first batch of pomelos in Chanh Thu Fruit Import-Export Group JSC (Chanh Thu) to meet US market standards. Chanh Thu is one of the women and youth-owned businesses in the Mekong Delta which are assisted in enhancing innovation and technology application and increasing quality standards compliance capacity. The activity was under the framework of the Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP) and the United Nations Multi-Parter Trust Fund (MPTF). The GQSP Vietnam project is part of a wider global GQSP programme funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of Switzerland and implemented by UNIDO in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). According to technical requirements for pomelos entering the US market, it is mandatory to use coating instead of plastic wrap. The new coating technology developed by the project, in collaboration with VIAEP and international experts, extends the shelf life by up to 3 months without using plastic wrap. In parallel with the research and development of coating products, a synchronized pre-processing system for pomelo processing with a capacity of 4-5 tons/hour has been designed, manufactured and installed, including major steps of washing, chemical treatment, draining, waxing, and drying. This equipment system was accepted by the US Animal and Plant Health Quarantine (APHIS) and the Plant Protection Department to enable the exporter to meet the requirements for exporting pomelos to the US market. “The effectiveness of the project helps enterprises overcome the key challenge of fruit exporting, which is post-harvest treatment to preserve fruits for a long shipments and export to demanding markets with reduced logistics costs. This is a necessary move at this point. This also encourages enterprises to invest more in future innovations to bring quality products to consumers.” - Ngô Tường Vy, general director of Chánh Thu, shared about UNIDO’s technical support. Based on this success, UNIDO will continue to work to enhance international market access for Vietnamese fruits, build innovative and sustainable value chains to contribute to the rural economy.

1 of 5

Story

30 November 2022

Ending HIV-related discrimination to uphold equality

The intense fight trampled at home and so with family relationships. Duy and Lien (not their real names) are married, both live with HIV and reside in Dien Bien Phu City. Lien is the stronger economic contributor and helps maintain the family's livelihood. Battling with severe side effects of antiretroviral therapy (ART), Duy spends most of his time taking care of household chores and children at home. Their two children are free from HIV as Lien adopted anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The family lives on the land that Duy inherited from his father. His inheritance is legally registered. The land had been equally divided and inherited by Duy, the son of his elder brother, and his two elder sisters. They all built houses on the inherited land and lived next to each other. Since knowing their HIV status, the relatives ostracized Duy's family. They labelled Duy as "less competent" and "socially disconnected" because he needed to stay home most of the time due to his health and physical condition. Unfortunately, this year a government urban development project ignited more tensions and deepened the rift in the family. The government collected a portion of their land for an urban development project with new road construction in Dien Bien Phu City. A sum of money was distributed as compensation for the land the government acquired. However, the reconstruction altered the pathway to the properties on the land. Duy's two sisters demanded a larger share of the compensation and a resizing of the plot of his land. Duy's two sisters trooped into their house, physically harmed Lien and verbally insulted Duy and Lien by shouting about their HIV status in front of their two small children. The fierce quarrel ravaged their home, so as their dignity. Being driven into a corner, Duy and Lien sought help from representatives of local mass organizations to resolve the dispute through civil litigation. HIV-related stigma and discrimination, including violence, threatened Duy's property rights and exacerbated the pre-existing vulnerability. According to Stigma Index 2020-2021, more than 4% among 1623 respondents in Viet Nam reported experiencing rights abuses in the past 12 months, and 45% reported not knowing any law protecting people living with HIV from being discriminated against [1]. “We have been receiving, through the hotline service, stories of people living with HIV being subject to stigma, discrimination and violence, including verbal and physical violence,” said Nguyen Anh Phong, a representative of the Viet Nam Network of People Living With HIV (VNP+). Phong and his team have been operating a hotline to provide counseling and support to community members for many years. “People living with HIV and the wider community both need to speak up and take action to address stigma and discrimination. You are not alone. We are not alone.” He emphasized. Putting an end to stigma and discrimination around HIV is the key to stopping violence against people living with and at higher risk of HIV and ensuring everyone's equal rights, such as property ownership, education, health care, work, access to justice, privacy, family, bodily autonomy and other rights. Equality needs to be upheld to empower key HIV populations to live with dignity and respect.
[1] Stigma Index. PLHIV Stigma Index 2.0 Viet Nam Country Report. Available at: https://www.stigmaindex.org/country-reports/#/m/VN *Community members featured in this photo have given UNAIDS consent to use their image for the purpose of public advocacy for the HIV response.

1 of 5

Story

29 November 2022

Equal and equitable access to HIV services across Viet Nam

The mountainous Dien Bien province in the north-western region of Vietnam is home to many people from the Thai ethnic group, including Lo Van Huy (not his real name). Huy is his family's only son and his extended family's firstborn son. Huy’s family started doubting his sexual orientation during high school. His family openly pressured him to get married and even sent him for “treatment of homosexuality”. Throughout high school, he was ill-spoken by the surrounding community and felt unaccepted by his loved ones. Shame and devastation almost pushed him to the edge of committing suicide. Subsequently, Huy spent much time on social media at home to avoid social pressure in his neighbourhood. On an online platform, he met his lover, a young man from another district of Dien Bien province. He also got contacted by a community-based organisation (CBO) of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Dien Bien province through social media. The organisation provided Huy counselling and HIV screening test and distributed condoms and lubricants to him for HIV prevention afterwards. Upon graduating from high school, Huy moved to Hanoi for work to avoid the stigma and family pressure related to his sexual orientation while his boyfriend was still studying in Dien Bien province. They remained lovers but haven’t come out. Fearing information disclosure and not having sex partners, Huy did not actively reach out to any MSM CBO in Hanoi and stayed connected with the peer educator he is familiar with from the MSM CBO in Dien Bien province. As a result, not until he returned to visit his hometown in September this year did Huy have a second HIV screening test and continue to receive condoms and lubricants. He was introduced to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)[1] services but was not willing to be referred to PrEP service in Hanoi while PrEP is still unavailable in his hilly home province. “We reached out to MSM in Dien Bien province mostly through mobile apps, and social media closed groups before getting connected in person. Many are young MSM living in districts, hiding their sexual orientation out of fear of stigma and lacking understanding of safe sex and HIV. I wish we will soon have PrEP service in Dien Bien so HIV prevention will be easier and more effective for my community.” Said Lo Van Thinh, head of Hoa Ban Trang MSM CBO in Dien Bien province. The HIV epidemic is surging among MSM, especially young MSM in Viet Nam. 47% of newly diagnosed HIV infections in 2020 were among MSM. HIV prevalence among young MSM (15 – 24 years) quadrupled, from 3% in 2011 to 13% in 2020. The lack of PrEP services across the country will negate the gains in preventing HIV infections among MSM. Evidence shows PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99%[2]. “Further scaling up and sustaining high impact HIV interventions such as PrEP is key for Viet Nam to achieve HIV targets by 2025 and stay on track to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” said Dr Maria Elena Filio Borromeo, Country Director of UNAIDS in Viet Nam. Reducing the geographical differences in HIV services availability enables the hard-to-reach populations to timely access highly effective HIV prevention and other essential HIV services in any setting that they find safe and trustful. Increasing the availability, quality and suitability of HIV-related services across the country is instrumental to an equitable and sustainable HIV response in Viet Nam. [1] Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective preventive treatment to prevent sexual transmission of HIV among men who have sex with men. [2] US CDC. (2022). Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/prep/index.html#:~:text=PrEP%20reduces%20the%20risk%20of,use%20by%20at%20least%2074%25.

1 of 5

Story

10 November 2022

Nurturing spaces for dialogue and joint action in Cambodia and Viet Nam

Ms. Pauline Tamesis, the recently appointed Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, brings to her new role four years of valuable experience leading the UN Country Team in Cambodia (2018-2022) and advancing tri-sector engagement between the UN, national authorities and the private sector. During her position as the Resident Coordinator of Cambodia, Ms. Tamesis led the UN Country Team in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Royal School of Administration in launching “Cambodia Future’s Lab’: a six month learning initiative which brought stakeholders from Government, private sector and civil society together to foster collaborative leadership and discuss new ways of addressing cross-sectoral issues from climate change, social protection and digital transformation. By regularly convening these stakeholders together on an equal footing, the Resident Coordinator established a creative space to engage, build trust and reshape pathways towards achieving the 2030 Agenda. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Resident Coordinator served as the single-entry point in providing UN-wide support to the Government of Cambodia in its emergency response and long-term recovery efforts. By mobilizing support from the UN’s Joint SDG Fund, the Resident Coordinator’s enabled the UN Country Team to launch the Social Protection Joint Programme in 2020.The joint programme contributed to the COVID-19 Cash Transfer Programme with host authorities, which provided a direct cash transfer to at least 560,000 households covering approximately 2.4 million people. The Resident Coordinator also mobilized the analytical capacities in the UN Country Team, anchored in the UN economists’ network leveraged by the economist in the Resident Coordinator’s office, to inform the Government in its policy-and decisionmaking processes to improve growth and reduce poverty. Economic modelling and evidence-based analysis capabilities were embedded in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, to inform the Government’s stimulus planning. A UN-backed study demonstrated how social protection programming was the most effective way to protect vulnerable groups from the impact of the pandemic, helping to reduce poverty by an estimated 3.4%. Arriving in Viet Nam in June 2022, the Resident Coordinator applied lessons learnt from Cambodia, nurturing shared platforms to boost dialogue between the 20 agencies that comprise the UN Country Team, national partners and civil society, to her new position. Under her leadership, the UN team in Viet Nam is now using foresight and system mapping to better plan and prepare for contingencies, with strengthened partnerships with the Government, civil society and the private sector.

1 of 5

Ms. Pauline Tamesis, Resident Coordinator of UN in Viet Nam

View all

Press Release

20 December 2022

Take Pride in Kindness - Safer Schools for LGBTI People

The United Nations (UN) in Viet Nam celebrates the promotion of safer schools for sexual and gender minority persons, usually referred to as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in collaboration with the University of Education, Viet Nam National University (VNU-UEd), Ha Noi and LGBTI community-led partner organizations - Hanoi Queer, Venus Social Enterprise and Finding a Self through Life Writing Project, with support from the global UN Free and Equal (UNFE) campaign aimed at promoting equal rights and the fair treatment of LGBTIQ+[1] people. With the key message of Take Pride in Kindness for Safer Schools for LGBTI People, the 2022 UNFE campaign in Viet Nam is to promote comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for safer learning environments, to raise social awareness about diversity in Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) , and especially, to enhance understanding of the rights of LGBTIQ+ individuals in Viet Nam through online surveys, a social media campaign, and a hybrid public advocacy event hosted at the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) on 18 December 2022. ‘Reports of bullying, stigma, and discrimination in schools based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression are still common in Viet Nam. Although more data is needed, research shows, for example, that LGBTI students face higher levels of gender-based violence than their peers and that education institutions are often not safe for them. National data shows that HIV infections have been on the increase among young gay men and other men who have sex with men, as well as transgender women. We also know that LGBTI students face specific mental health challenges that include negative family reactions to their sexuality or gender identity and fears of discrimination,’ said Lesley Miller, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Viet Nam on behalf of the UN. In consultation with a broad group of representatives from the LGBTIQ+ community in Viet Nam, the UNFE in Viet Nam has found that strengthening the inclusion of SOGIESC discussion and information in CSE content at schools is an area where continued engagement of the UN has important value. The campaign in Viet Nam recognizes that groups of teachers and pedagogical students, with their pedagogical skills and expertise, are important agents of change in spreading effective content of CSE, particularly SOGIESCs, through kindness and pride-based approaches to many future generations of students. From there, respect for diversity, kindness, and pride attitudes will be promoted and nurtured; and thus, promotion of safe schools and educational environments for all students will be committed and translated into action. During the public event today, exhibition displays, games, quizzes, and discussion sessions on gender diversity will be arranged. Participants, including pre-service teachers, lecturers, LGBTIQ+ organizations, adolescents and young people are encouraged to take part in event activities to learn about LGBITQ+ and share their perspectives regarding kindness and pride for safer schools for all learners. ‘In 2021, the UN supported the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in digitalizing the Comprehensive Sexuality Education programme and making it open source for teachers, parents, and students at all levels. This work contributes to advancing the rights of LGBTI adolescents and young people and is helping to raise public awareness on sexuality education, breaking taboos, tackling gender bias, and enabling more inclusive, friendly schools for all. We strongly encourage everyone to visit these online resources and take a proactive approach to equipping yourselves with knowledge,’ added Lesley Miller. ‘Today, at this UNFE event, we celebrate the fact that everyone –all people-- regardless of their Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression or any other status, are born free and equal in dignity and rights. And we direct our focus on education as a strategic vehicle for change. The UN is pleased to be cooperating with the University of Education, Vietnam National University, Hanoi in hosting this event which is part of the University’s broader efforts to transform its teaching staff, its student body, and its learning environment. We welcome the emphasis on respect and kindness with the aim of ensuring safety for everyone in the spirit of ‘Leaving no one behind,’ shared Lesley Miller. 2022 is the fourth year of the UNFE campaign in Viet Nam. This year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) leads the coordination of the campaign, with support from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the UN Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) in Viet Nam, in collaboration with the University of Education, Vietnam National University (VNU-UEd), Hanoi Queer, Venus Social Enterprise and Finding a Self Through Life Writing Project. ############# Livestream of the 2022 UNFE event: In Vietnamese: The UN in Viet Nam Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/uninvietnam The University of Education, Vietnam National University, Hanoi: https://www.facebook.com/daihocgiaoduc.daihocquocgia In English: The UN in Viet Nam Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@unvietnam6889 Facebook event page: https://fb.me/e/2Cm7zdZOS About UN Free & Equal UN Free & Equal is an initiative launched by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in 2013 as a global UN public information campaign for equal rights and the fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people (LGBTIQ+) everywhere. UN Free & Equal has also supported national level campaigns and events in more than 40 countries around the world since its launch, including Viet Nam. UN Free & Equal Official Website: https://www.unfe.org/ About the UN in Viet Nam With the aim to build sustainable and inclusive state, the UN in Viet Nam is working together with Viet Nam in accelerating SDG achievement and other national development priorities in four strategic areas: Investing in People; Ensuring climate resilience and environmental sustainability; Fostering prosperity and partnership; and Promoting justice, peace and inclusive governance. UN in Viet Nam Official Website: https://vietnam.un.org/ About the University of Education, Vietnam National University (VNU-UEd) VNU-UEd is a high-quality training and research institution in education science and technology, applied for training teachers, education administrators and other human resources in the field of education. VNU-UEd Official Website: https://education.vnu.edu.vn/ About Hanoi Queer Hanoi Queer aims at a Viet Nam that is open and equal to LGBTQ people in the fields of education, culture, and society. The organization creates safe spaces, hosts and promotes community culture, and empowers LGBTQ communities while raising awareness and changing social attitudes towards LGBTQ people in Viet Nam. Hanoi Queer Official Website: https://queer.vn/ About Venus Social Enterprise Venus Social Enterprise is the very first transgender women (TGW) social enterprise in Viet Nam. In 2015, Venus was established as a community-based organization, led by TGW, for the TGW community. In the 5 years since, Venus has provided much needed HIV services to the transgender community in Ha Noi. In 2020, with the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)’s support through USAID/PATH Healthy Markets, Venus was granted a business certificate and officially became Venus Community Development and Consultancy Social Enterprise. Venus Social Enterprise Community Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dnxhvenus About Finding a Self through Life Writing Project Finding a Self through Life Writing Project, sponsored by the Alumni Grants Scheme under the Aus4Skills programme, is a community project targeting individuals who identify as women and trans men, who are migrant workers or ethnic minorities from the northern region of Viet Nam. The project focuses on using language and the practice of life writing to help women and trans men explore their identity and self, express and build a discourse of that identity with their own words. Finding a Self through Life Writing Project Official Website: https://www.timtoitrongchu.com/ For inquiries and media requests, please contact: Trịnh Anh Tuấn, Senior Programme Communications and Advocacy Officer, Resident Coordinator Office (RCO), UN in Viet Nam, tuan.trinh@un.org, +84 24 3850 0193 Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hương, Communication Officer, UNICEF Viet Nam, ntthuong@unicef.org, +84 24 3850 225 Follow news of the UN in Viet Nam on Twitter @uninvietnam ./. [1] Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer.

1 of 5

Press Release

08 December 2022

Impact Assessment of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism project launched in Vietnam

On 6th December 2022 in Vietnam, the Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) supported by UNOPS together with the Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Government of Vietnam hosted a workshop to kick-start a new project - Impact Assessment of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The CBAM aims to reduce the risk of carbon leakage by encouraging producers in non-EU countries to reduce CO2 emissions from their production processes. CBAM will initially be applied to the iron, aluminum, cement, electricity and fertilizers sectors, with the hope of extending to the hydrogen, organic chemicals, plastics, and ammonia sectors. “The project aims to assess the impact of the CBAM on export products, energy transition, national economy, and implementation of the NDCs of Vietnam. It will also provide an in-depth study of the implications and policy recommendations for a roadmap and design of the carbon tax system in Vietnam,” said Nguyen Thi Hong Loan, senior climate change expert at Green Climate Innovation. As agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by UNOPS and DCC under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) in June 2022, both organizations committed to work together to support Vietnam in achieving its carbon neutrality by 2050. “ETP is pleased to collaborate with DCC and MONRE through this project to establish a solid partnership to support Vietnam with its energy transition. Together, we will be arranging stakeholder consultations with the public and private sectors on the projects findings and recommendations, with a view to prepare Vietnam for carbon pricing and energy transition.” said Sirpa Jarvenpaa, Director of the Energy Transition Partnerships. The project will be implemented by a consortium of the Green Climate Innovation Co., Ltd; NHQuang & Associates from Vietnam; Applied Economic Modelling and Data Analysis from Australia; and Perspectives Climate Group GmbH from Germany. ENDS About the Department of Climate Change: The Department of Climate Change at MONRE, leads coordination of efforts to champion net-zero emission through carbon pricing, carbon tax, and carbon market development, including developing measures in response to the CBAM. Read more here About Energy Transition Partnership: The Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) is a multi-donor partnership formed by governmental and philanthropic partners to accelerate sustainable energy transition in Southeast Asia in line with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. We combine the best of the public and private sector with the UN to help mobilize and coordinate technical and financial resources to build the foundations for renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable resilient infrastructures. We empower our partner countries - Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines to transition towards a sustainable energy system, generate economic growth and ensure energy security. Read more: https://www.energytransitionpartnership.org

1 of 5

Press Release

13 January 2023

We Together - Orange the music - Street music program for the safety of women and children

This exceptional music program was organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women in Viet Nam) with the engagement of a wide variety of popular young artists such as: Minh Vuong M4U, Vu Duy Khanh, Trung Tran, Nguyen Tran Trung Quan, Duy Khoa, AlexD Music Insight, VAnh, ... in conjunction with diverse performances of students, pupils in the city such as those from Vinschool, Academy of Journalism and Communication, FPT University,... In the ambiance imbued with music and various nuances of emotion of the program, the artists' lyrics and dances were like a special string connecting people, conveying meaningful messages about respect, sharing, care, love and solidarity. The music program was divided into three main parts: She, We and We Together. The songs performed in the “She” told stories about the women around us, who could be mothers, wives, daughters, confidants or lovers. When “She” had grown up, experienced ups and downs of life, she would get strong and become a part of the mighty and persistent “We”, then “We together” with like-minded people would live our lives to the fullest, realize all our dreams and dedicate to life. If Part 1 “She” rendered bright, crystalline and loving songs, Part 2 “We” was our narrations in the journey of growing, stumbling and resurrecting, Part 3 “We together” illustrated the joy, the power of unity to create an equal, colorful, safe and violence-free world. Notably, apart from the artists' performances, Ms. Elisa Fernandez Saenz, UN Women Country Representative and UN staff in Viet Nam staged a vibrant dance performance delivering the message of the women and girls who were strong, confident to surmount all barriers and stereotypes to realize their dreams. The event was an activity under the umbrella of the Orange the World Campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence (November 25 - December 10) and the National Action Month for Gender Equality and Gender-based Violence Prevention and response (November 15 – December 15. Orange has been chosen by the Secretary-General of the United Nations as the symbolized colour of the campaign because it is a brilliant colour offering hope to women and children experiencing violence as well as those working in this domain. It is also a highly attention-catching colour – demonstrating the harzardous and alarming levels of violence against women and millions of children globally, which is deemed as one of the most serious forms of human right violation across the world. Orange the World is a campaign urging for vigourous participation of all stakeholders to eliminate violence against women and children globally. Additional information for Editors: Globally, one billion children per year are subject to violence in one form or another. The Viet Nam SDG indicators on Children and Women Survey 2020-2021 indicated that more than 72% of children between the ages of 10 and 14 had experienced violent disciplines. Among them, 39% of children suffered from emotional violence, physical abuse (47%), sexual abuse (20%), and neglection (29%). These scars would not only leave physical pain, but also result in persistent mental obsessions for a lifetime. According to the 2019 National Study on Violence against Women in Viet Nam, 62.9% of women in Viet Nam experienced one or more forms of physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence, as well as controlling behaviours by their husband or intimate partner in their life time. In Vietnamese society, violence was often hidden reflected by the fact that 90.4% of the women who experienced violence did not seek for help from formal services or authorities and half of them never told anyone about their experience of violence. In addition, the impacts of violence against women were estimated to be equivalent to 1.81% of Viet Nam's GDP in 2018. The Program “Orange the music” - We Together Music Concert will be posted on: UN Women fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/unwomenvietnam/

1 of 5

Press Release

13 January 2023

The Program “Orange-blended art – Reborn” for the safety of women and children

As part of the event series of the Orange the World Campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence organized by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women in Viet Nam), the “Orange-blended art – Reborn” performances was delivered for the first time in Ha Noi, which overwhelmed viewers with a wide range of emotional nuances on the mental and physical damages among the survivors of violence and the process of healing and being reborn when receiving empathy, sharing and support from the community. Thereby, the program is expected to widely roll out the voice and the message of “Respect and protection of women and children”. The performance program “Orange-blended art – Reborn” consisted of two main parts: Break the silence and Reborn presented by painters Tuan Viet and Binh Pro. Here, the artists displayed two opposing psychological fields: Negativity – illustrated by mixed and chaotic colour shades, the images representing mental and physical pain and Positivity - envisaged through bright, cheerful colours, representing the assuagement and healing of oneself, which was sharply depicted. If in part 1, the artist performed the torment and innermost pain of the hurt characters, in part 2, the colour streaks were gradually “alleviated” as a way of recreating and reviving through words of encouragement, hand joining to speak up and shared empathy from the community and society. The flowers of love, of faith in life also gradually bloomed from therein. The event was an activity under the umbrella of the Orange the World Campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence (November 25 - December 10) and the National Action Month for Gender Equality and Gender-based Violence Prevention and response (November 15 – December 15). Additional information for Editors: Globally, one billion children per year are subject to violence in one form or another. The Viet Nam SDG indicators on Children and Women Survey 2020-2021 indicated that more than 72% of children between the ages of 10 and 14 had experienced violent disciplines. Among them, 39% of children suffered from emotional violence, physical abuse (47%), sexual abuse (20%), and negligence (29%). These scars would not only leave physical pain, but also result in persistent mental obsessions for a lifetime. According to the 2019 National Study on Violence against Women in Viet Nam, 62.9% of women in Viet Nam experienced one or more forms of physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence, as well as controlling behaviours by their husband or intimate partner in their life time. In Vietnamese society, violence was often hidden reflected by the fact that 90.4% of the women who experienced violence did not seek for help from formal services or authorities and half of them never told anyone about their experience of violence. In addition, the impacts of violence against women were estimated to be equivalent to 1.81% of Viet Nam's GDP in 2018.. Contact information for press and media people: Hoàng Bích Thảo, Communication Officer - UN Women Cell: 0705163996 Email: hoang.thao@unwomen.org

1 of 5

Press Release

08 November 2022

15 Vietnamese companies recognized as champions at the UN Women WEPs Awards for advancing gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community

The WEPs Awards recognize the efforts of the private sector to promote practices, programs and actions and create more gender-inclusive business cultures by embracing gender equality and women’s empowerment through the WEPs. The WEPs Awards includes 7 categories: Leadership Commitment, Gender-inclusive Workplace, Gender-responsive Marketplace, Community Engagement and Partnerships, Transparency & Reporting, Youth Leadership for Generation Equality and SMEs Champion. Representative of UN Women in Viet Nam, Ms. Elisa Fernandez Saenz said: “As the engine of economic development, private sector plays a significant part in the socio-economic recovery post-COVID19 and beyond and has become vital in advancing gender equality in the workplace, marketplace and community to close the gender gap. We hope that the WEPs Awards will inspire more companies to be more active in adopting policies and practices that promote gender equality”. Chairwoman of the Viet Nam Women Entrepreneurs Council (VWEC), Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, highlighted “Women’s contribution to society and enterprises have confirmed the leading role of changes for doing decent business and sustainable development. WEPs Awards will spread and motivate enterprises to have more initiatives in advancing gender equality, women’s economic empowerment at all levels in enterprises” The event was attended by leaders of ministries, organizations, business associations, enterprises, UN Agencies and other international organizations. In the panel discussion, participants shared and discussed the barriers and challenges that women-owned businesses face in accessing markets in Viet Nam and evaluated entry points for facilitating more equal market opportunities for women by promoting supplier diversity and gender-responsive procurement During the event, UN Women and the Embassy of Australia in Viet Nam introduced the new program “WE RISE Together: creating equal market opportunities for women by advancing Supplier Diversity through Gender-Responsive Procurement”. This program is supported by the Australian Government’s Mekong-Australia Partnership. “In the Asia-Pacific region, an estimated 60 per cent of micro-, small and medium enterprises are owned by women but currently, in the global procurement market, women-owned businesses secure only one per cent of spending. WE RISE Together will address this inequality and encourage the public and private sector in Vietnam to evolve their procurement policies” noted Ms Cherie Russell, Development Counsellor, Australian Embassy. The winners of WEPs Awards 2022 categories include: Leadership Commitment Award Category 1. Mr. Amit Verma - Country Head, Olam Vietnam Limited 2.Ms. Nguyen Thi Tra My - General Director, PAN Group Joint Stock Company 3.Mr.Than Duc Viet - General Director, Garment 10 Corporation - Joint Stock Company Youth Leadership Category Ms. Nguyen Ngoc My - Senior Executive, Vice Chairwoman of the Board and General Director, Alphanam Group Gender-inclusive Workplace Award Category 1. VPS Securities Joint Stock Company 2. Procter & Gamble Vietnam Co. Ltd 3. Regina Miracle International Vietnam Company Limited and Ho Guom Group Joint Stock Company Gender-responsive Marketplace Award Category 1. Julie Sandlau Vietnam Co. Ltd 2. Ha Nam Ninh Food Joint Stock Company 3. Intel Products Vietnam Co., Ltd Community and Industry Engagement Award Category 1. Unilever Vietnam International Company Limited 2. Tien Thanh Handicraft wares production Import Export Company limited 3. Savvycom Joint Stock Company SMEs Champion In Community and Industry Engagement Award Category Wardhaven Capital Limited - HCMC Representative Office

1 of 5

View all