Dozens of delegates from non-governmental organizations in ASEAN members have gathered in Hanoi for a two-day workshop on making policies and sharing experience on gender-based violence prevention. The event with an aim towards an ASEAN without gender-based violence is jointly organized by the GBVNET, a network on gender and gender-based violence in Vietnam, the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents (CSAGA), and 14 NGOs operating in Vietnam. CSAGA Director Nguyen Van Anh said that the event will help link NGOs in ASEAN and Vietnam in programs against domestic and gender-based violence. The event is part of Vietnam’s efforts to make gender violence one of regional issues which ASEAN organizations should cope with and have better recommendations for policy making in protecting women in each country. According to the United Nations Office, gender-based violence in Vietnam has caused economic losses equivalent to nearly 1.41% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014 while women who suffer from domestic violence see a fall of 35% in their labor productivity in comparison with others. (Vietnamplus.vn May 10, Lao Dong – Labor May 10)
