A forum was held in the northern province of Thai Nguyen on April 21 to discuss a project to help female factory workers speak up against workplace sexual abuse.

At the forum 

Speaking at the event, deputy head of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL)’s board of female affairs Do Thi Hong Van said the project initiated by CARE Vietnam aims to reduce sex abuse against female workers at textile factories. 

Over the past more than one year, the project has offered training to female workers and raised employers’ responsibility for creating a healthy and safe workplace, she said. 

VGCL Vice President Pham Van Quang said the province is home to more than 200,000 officials, cadres and workers, 60 percent of whom are women. The business sector alone attracts 150,000 workers, leading to gender imbalance in industrial zones. 

In the textile and garment sector, five local factories are managed by the industry and trade sector’s trade union with more than 10,000 labourers, with 80 percent of them women. 

According to the Better Work report 2017, many cases of sexual abuse go unreported in Vietnam. 

Participants at the event discussed recognition of sexual abuse and skills to protect workers.