The New Zealand Embassy, ​​the United Nations & CSAGA launch the 'Walking Together for Gender Equality' contest.

Mr. Robbie Taylor, Deputy Ambassador of New Zealand to Vietnam; Ms. Shoko Ishikawa, Head of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (UN Women) in Vietnam; Ms. Nguyen Van Anh, Director of the CSAGA Center; and Mr. Pham Quang Minh, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi, attended the seminar and delivered opening remarks.

According to the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), one-third of women and girls worldwide are victims of gender-based violence. Every day, more women die or are injured in gender-based violence than are affected by natural disasters, cancer, war, and traffic accidents combined (UN Women Fact Sheet). In Vietnam, a study by the General Statistics Office (2010) indicated that 58% of women had experienced at least one form of domestic violence. Furthermore, 87% of women from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi had experienced sexual harassment in public; 67% of witnesses did not take action (AAV, 2014). The root cause of this situation is gender inequality and deeply ingrained prejudices about the roles and positions of men and women in society.

Furthermore, barriers to ensuring the rights and equality of women and girls still exist. Regarding inequality in labor, education, and household work, the latest report from the World Economic Forum (2016) also presents alarming figures: globally, the average income of women is only half that of men, $11,000 per year for women compared to $20,000 per year for men; 44% of women worldwide are unemployed, while this figure is only 18% for men; on average, women spend 4 hours and 47 minutes a day on unpaid work, while men spend only 1 hour and 30 minutes on unpaid work; and although enrollment rates for both genders have improved, only 36% of women worldwide hold leadership or management positions in organizations.

In this context, raising public awareness about gender equality and gender-based violence has received increasing attention in recent years. An effective method for preventing and eliminating violence against women and eradicating gender stereotypes is through the media. In this process, press agencies, media outlets, and social media platforms have consistently played a crucial role with their perseverance and tireless efforts.

Photo by Internet

To encourage journalists and the community to actively write articles that dispel gender stereotypes and combat violence against women and girls, the "Walking Together for Gender Equality" program launched a competition widely publicized to journalists, media professionals, students, and the community. The competition has two components: Component one is for journalists with articles and products published in mainstream newspapers, television, and radio between May 31, 2016, and December 31, 2016. Component two is for youth and the community with articles published on social media between November 15, 2016, and December 31, 2016. The submission period for entries is three weeks, from December 7, 2016, to December 31, 2016. Five awards for journalists and four awards for youth and community will be given to the best works.

Mr. Pham Quang Minh, Rector of the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities, welcomed the competition and emphasized..."Vietnamese women have played a vital role in history. In every era, women have made extraordinary contributions to the development and stability of the nation and society."Mr. Minh affirmed that the competition is an opportunity for the university to demonstrate its commitment to gender equality and the prevention of violence against women. The University of Social Sciences and Humanities is committed to supporting the competition, conveying positive messages from the competition, and encouraging a large number of students to participate in creating media products for the competition.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Robbie Taylor, Deputy Ambassador of the New Zealand Embassy in Hanoi, delivered a meaningful speech in Vietnamese. He began by reciting the poem "Bánh Trôi Nước" (Floating Rice Cakes) by the female poet Ho Xuan Huong.I wonder why this poem always makes me think that Vietnamese women are always resigned to suffering and making sacrifices? Meanwhile, women deserve respect and love.

When I watch TV, I still see commercials where cooking and cleaning are always associated with women. Why is that? Housework is a shared responsibility. If my wife cooks, I prepare the vegetables. If she cooks, I clean the house.

I also realize that the press and media play a crucial role in eliminating gender stereotypes. Along with journalists, young people, like today's students, can also use social media and blogs to help break down gender stereotypes, to show love and respect for our mothers, wives, sisters, and friends.”

Ms. Nguyen Van Anh, director of the CSAGA Center, provided the latest update on the child sexual abuse case at a coffee plantation near the Vietnam-Cambodia border. The story raises an alarm about the reality of violence against women and children, Ms. Van Anh emphasized:“Overnight, videos of child sexual abuse went viral on social media, sparking outrage and indignation among the public. Those involved are currently being prosecuted, and the main perpetrator of this child sexual abuse is being actively pursued by police in Ho Chi Minh City. This demonstrates the immense power of social media and the media in general in uncovering and denouncing crimes, as well as speaking out to protect victims of violence.”

Ms. Shoko Ishikawa, Head of UN Women, appealed:"Show us what's going on in your mind as you reflect on women's rights and women's empowerment, as well as the relationship between women and men."

Challenge the portrayal of men and women in the media. Think about audience acceptance, including female victims of violence, and how your stories can empower them. Think about how your stories will raise questions among a wider audience about gender stereotypes and gender norms.”

teamwww.csaga.org.vnorhttps://www.facebook.com/nzembassyvietnamFor more information.

For detailed information about the competition, please contact:

The Thanh