The Australian Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and the Australian Chamber of Commerce (AusCham) organised a seminar on October 22 to seek measures to enhance economic empowerment of women and promote gender equality.

At the seminar 

Australian Consul General Julianne Cowley said the empowerment of women and girls is the Australian Government’s top priority and the main focus of economic ties between Vietnam and Australia. 

Gender equality is crucial to reinforce Vietnam’s economic dynamism and ensure its future prosperity, she said.

The Consul General pointed out that in Vietnam, women earn, on average, 3 million VND (129 USD) less than men each year, and the promotion rate among women is half of men’s.

Cowley cited a study by McKinsey Global Institute as saying that equality for women would add some 40 billion USD to Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) annually by 2025.

Ton Nu Thi Ninh, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Peace and Development Foundation, highlighted Vietnamese women’s legal status, saying gender equality has been ensured in legal regulations in the country.

Decision-makers from the private sector said businesses that provide equal career opportunities for men and women create a sustainable corporate culture, improve employee satisfaction and performance and attract and retain talent.

Ha Thu Thanh, Chairperson of Deloitte Vietnam, said women experience many obstacles in career development due to pregnancy and responsibility for childcare and chores in the house.

Women should be ambitious and motivated and get promoted to senior leadership positions, she said.

Gender equality at work reflects in the mindset of leaders of businesses where gender equality is an integral part of their strategies, she stressed.

At her company, the proportion of men holding management and leadership positions is 68 percent, while among staff who have worked for one to three years, women account for 68 percent, she said.   

Businesses need to develop policies to improve gender equality at the workplace by enhancing leadership and talent among women staff, she said, adding flexible working policies for women should be adopted as part of efforts to improve gender equality.

Huynh Buu Quang, CEO of Maritime Bank, said with women workers accounting for 60 percent of employees, gender parity is crucial to the operation and development of the company.

The development and implementation of gender parity policies at the workplace increases competitiveness and creates good corporate culture and attracts and retains talent, he said.