The Vietnamese Party and State always pay special attention to ethnic affairs and national solidarity and give the issues a long-term strategic position in the country’s revolutionary cause.The statement was made by National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong at a training workshop to discuss ways to mainstream ethnic policies and gender equality issue in the building of law and the implementation of policies and law in ethnic minority-inhabited areas.The workshop was jointly held by the National Assembly’s Nationalities Council and the Irish Aid Agency in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province on January 23.There are more than 40 target projects underway in ethnic minority areas. The projects focus on education-training, healthcare, transport, production development, poverty reduction, and preserving national cultural identity.Regarding gender equality, NA Vice Chairwoman Phong said many legal documents and a national strategy have been adopted to promote gender equality in the country.However, the implementation of gender equality and ethnic policies are still challenged by an asynchronous law system, overlapping mechanisms and policies, people’s insufficient awareness, and limited education-training opportunities for women and children from ethnic minority groups.These require the National Assembly’s Nationalities Council and Committees, the People’s Councils at all level, and relevant ministries and sectors to work together to formulate plans to supervise the effective implementation of gender equality and ethnic policies. (Nhan Dan – The People Jan 24)
