International delegates hailed the nation’s efforts to affirm the role of women in building and sustaining peace during the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security which was held from December 7 to December 9 by the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the UN.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung addresses the conference
(Photo: baoquocte.vn).

Phumzile Mlombo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, glowingly spoke of Vietnam's contributions to promoting the adoption of the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1889. This relates to women’s role in post conflicts, with the country playing the role of a non-permanent member of the UNSC during the 2008 to 2009 period.

Furthermore, Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator for Vietnam, highlighted the event as a wonderful opportunity for various countries to come together and promote their commitments aimed at improving the role of women.

He also expressed his great appreciation for the nation’s strong support for the UN’s agenda on women, peace, and security, expressing his confidence that the country will maintain its leading role in pushing forward the agenda.

During the closing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said the conference affirmed the determination of member states to implement the four pillars set out in the UN’s agenda on women, peace, and security. This includes ensuring women’s full and equal participation in decision making, integrating gender perspective into women’s participation to tackle the roots of conflicts, promoting the rights of both women and young girls, and strengthening women’s roles in post-conflict relief and rescue work.

Moreover, an array of initiatives and recommendations were raised during the course of the conference, Deputy Minister Trung stated. Indeed, the Vietnamese proposal “Hanoi Action Commitment” detailing activities aimed at strengthening women’s participation in peace progress and women’s empowerment in various sectors received an enthusiastic response from 11 nations, including Estonia, Finland, Mexico, Malaysia, Laos, New Zealand, Norway, the UK, Sweden, Germany, and Myanmar.

The document is set to be introduced to other UN members in the near future before being sent to the President of the UN General Assembly and the UNSC, he added.

The successful organisation of the conference marks a significant step as it serves to reiterate the nation’s unwavering external policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism, diversification, and international integration. These efforts therefore mark the nation as a trustworthy and responsible member of the international community, the Vietnamese diplomat emphasised.

The conference, alongside the country’s contribution in its role as ASEAN Chair 2020 and a non-permanent member of the UNSC during the 2020 to 2021 period, continue to affirm the Vietnamese Party and State’s policies aimed at promoting gender equality and improving women’s position moving forward.