UNIFEM Helps Vietnam Launch Project on Gender Equality for Youth

The Vietnam Youth’s Central Union and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) will launch a two-year project on gender equality for young people late this month, state media reported Friday. Attending the conference on gender equality for youth held in Hanoi December 16, Suzette Mitchell, UNIFEM country director said that the project will help raise young people awareness of both gender equality and domestic violence in Vietnam. The project will begin in four cities and provinces including Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Lam Dong and Ha Tinh. Vietnam takes the lead in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the number of women taking part in the parliament with 25.76% in the term 2007-2011. Meanwhile, the country is facing high rate of domestic violence cases at about 25% of families suffering from spiritual violence, the Ministry of Labor, Veterans and Social Affairs.