Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha, along with an inter-agency Vietnamese delegation, successfully completed the defense of Vietnam's 9th national report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on 3/2.

During the discussion, the Vietnamese delegation demonstrated the country's continuous efforts to institutionalize CEDAW provisions into its national legal system.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Ha affirmed that Vietnam consistently views gender equality as a cross-cutting goal in national development. The country has issued a synchronized system of supportive policies to encourage and create favorable conditions for women to fully exercise their political, economic, cultural, and social rights.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha (left) defends the 9th national report on CEDAW implementation. *Photo: VNA*

A highlight of this report is the realization of the Constitution through legal provisions. These include the 2019 Labor Code, which contains many progressive regulations promoting substantive gender equality, and the 2024 Social Insurance Law, which expands social security coverage for women. Additionally, the 2024 Land Law marks a significant step forward in property management from a gender perspective.

The 2022 Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control completely shifted the approach by centering on the survivor of violence, providing support primarily to women and girls who are affected. Concurrently, the 2017 Legal Aid Law expanded free assistance to vulnerable groups of women, from poor households and ethnic minorities in extremely disadvantaged areas to victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.

Gender equality has also extended into economic and governance sectors. The 2025 State Budget Law emphasizes the requirement to ensure gender considerations in the allocation of national resources. Furthermore, the 2017 Law on Support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises not only ensures equal business opportunities but also prioritizes resources for women-owned businesses or those employing a large number of female workers. The 2025 Population Law marks a crucial transformation towards respecting human rights and promoting women's self-determination.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha meets delegates at the event. *Photo: VNA*

According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2025, Vietnam made a significant leap, ranking 74th out of 148 countries, an increase of 9 positions compared to 2022. This international recognition is particularly meaningful as Vietnam serves on the Executive Board of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for the 2025-2027 term.

The CEDAW Convention, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, is founded on the core principle that laws must eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, both direct and indirect. Discrimination is defined as: "any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field."

Article 2 of the CEDAW Convention requires member states to condemn discrimination against women and "to take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which constitute discrimination against women."

Ngoc Anh