Gender and jobs

Gender inequality is not right and not good for Viet Nam: ILO

Gender inequality in the labour market in Viet Nam is traced back to the traditional norms, the pervasive organizational cultures and practices in both public and private sectors, and the lack of female voice at the workplace through union representation and collective bargaining.

News | 12 March 2021
HANOI (ILO News) – Viet Nam is not harnessing the potential of one-half of its labour force, Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Viet Nam, Chang-Hee Lee, said at a workshop on 11 March.

Co-organized by the ILO, the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN) and the Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs (ILSSA), the event introduced key results of an ILO new research on gender and the labour market in Viet Nam and discussed measures to improve gender equality.

The ILO research confirmed that Viet Nam remains far from reaching equality between women and men in the world of work. With the remarkably high rate of women’s participation in the labour force at more than 70 per cent, their contribution, through their work, to Viet Nam’s economy and society, is not always matched by the quality of the jobs they get.

On average, women’s jobs are less stable, less protected, and less paid than those of men. Women are also significantly underrepresented in decision-making jobs (less than one fourth), both in government and in business.

ILSSA Director Bui Ton Hien emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic has left disproportionate impacts on women’s employment and therefore worsened gender equality in the country.

“This is not right, and this is not good for the country,” said the head of ILO Viet Nam.

Gender inequality in the labour market in Viet Nam is, he said, traced back to the traditional norms, the pervasive organizational cultures and practices, including human resource management practices in both public and private sectors, and the lack of female voice at the workplace through union representation and collective bargaining.

It indicates that each and every one should take on the challenge of ensuring non-discrimination and equal pay for work of equal value."

Dr Chang-Hee Lee, Director of ILO Viet Nam
“It indicates that each and every one should take on the challenge of ensuring non-discrimination and equal pay for work of equal value, as Viet Nam commits itself by ratifying ILO core conventions on those fundamental principles,” he added.

Among the participants at the workshop were three ambassadors to Viet Nam – Swedish Ambassador Ann Måwe, Dutch Ambassador Elsbeth Akkerman and Norwegian Ambassador Grete Løchen – who have been strong supporters of gender equality in the country.