More Vietnamese women will benefit from the next phase of Investing in Women (IW), an Australian Government initiative supporting women’s economic empowerment in Southeast Asia following the launch earlier this week by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam. 

Andrew Goledzinowski, Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, speaks at the launch of the support program on May 22. Photos: Embassy of Australia in Hanoi

Established in 2016, IW targets barriers to women’s participation in the economy, while fostering an environment for women to thrive in the workplace and succeed in business.

“With our renewed support for the Investing in Women initiative, Australia reaffirms our commitment to advancing gender equality and accelerating inclusive economic opportunities in Vietnam and the region,” said Andrew Goledzinowski, Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam.

The launch marked the attendance of Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, Stephanie Copus Campbell AM, who offered the remarks during her official visit to Vietnam. “It has been truly inspiring to learn about Vietnam’s progress in accelerating women’s economic empowerment. Australia is proud to work with Vietnam on this journey towards equality, paving the way for a more inclusive future that harnesses the talents and contributions of all.” 

Stephanie Copus Campbell, Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, addresses the event.

At an event hosted by the Australian Embassy, representatives from private sector companies, development organizations, and academia discussed the trends, priorities, and collective action needed to drive gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in Vietnam.

To date, Investing in Women has provided technical support to the Government of Vietnam for the gender-transformative Labour Code of 2019, supported local partners to deliver campaigns promoting positive examples of gender equality, and collaborated with impact investors to support women-led small to medium enterprises.

Investing in Women will build on the momentum achieved, with a focus on advancing workplace gender equality, expanding the care economy, supporting campaigns on gender equality at work and at home, and fostering gender lens investing.

Investing in Women (IW) is a multi-country Australian Government initiative in Southeast Asia that seeks to accelerate women’s economic empowerment. With a focus on addressing structural barriers, IW supports women to thrive in the workplace and succeed in business, fostering inclusive economic growth and development. 

Australia supports Vietnam's National Strategy on Gender Equality 2021-2030.

Promoting women’s economic empowerment in Vietnam

Australia is promoting increased female participation in the labor market and global value chains, which is increasing women's economic empowerment. This entails helping Vietnamese farmers, logistics providers, and tourism operators, particularly those run by women and members of underrepresented groups, to revitalize and enhance their standard of living.

Vietnam’s National Strategy on Gender Equality 2021-2030 aims to close the achievement gap between men and women, provide equal opportunities and conditions for their participation, promote equality in all areas of society and life, and enable them to fully contribute to the country's sustainable development. Australia is striving to assist economically disadvantaged women.

Meanwhile, the Australia in Vietnam Gender Equality Strategy 2022-2027 is guiding Australia’s whole-of-government approach in Vietnam. According to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the strategy will deepen our efforts on gender equality and women's and girls' empowerment while substantially increasing attention to the socio-economic priorities and inclusion of people with disabilities, ethnic minority groups, and LGBTI people.