(Photo: vietnamnet.vn)

Vietnam has fine-tuned institutions, policies and laws in accordance with the international commitments on human  rights it has made and has implemented several measures to ensure the rights of women and children.

The 2013 Constitution has several breakthrough stipulations ensuring gender equality and protecting the rights of women and children. Article 19 says “Everyone has the right to life. Human life is protected by law. No one may be deprived of life in contravention of law”. Article 20 says “Everyone has the right to inviolability of his or her body and to the protection by law of his or her health, honor and dignity; no one shall be subjected to torture, violence, coercion, corporal punishment or any form of treatment harming his or her body and health or offending his or her honor and dignity”. And Article 36 stipulates “The State shall protect marriage and the family, and protect the interests of mothers and children.”

Under the 2013 Constitution, the Vietnamese National Assembly adopted the Law on Gender Equality in 2006 and the Law on Children in 2016. The Law on Gender Equality aims to eliminate gender discrimination and create an equal opportunity for men and women in socio-economic development and human resource development.

The Law on Children stipulates the rights and obligations of children, policies and measures to ensure care, education, culture, information, and participation by children. The Law also stipulates in detail the responsibility of agencies, organizations, schools, families and individuals in realizing the rights and obligations of children.

Other laws including the 2015 Civil Code, the 2025 Criminal Code, the 2025 Criminal Procedure Code, the 2007 Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control, and the 2014 Law on Marriage and Family all have stipulations protecting the rights of women and children.

Vietnam has implemented several policies and solutions to ensure the rights of women and children including the 2021-2030 National Program on Child Protection, the 2021-2030 National Strategy on Gender Equality, and the 2021-2025 Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response Program.

Thanks to strong determination and efforts by the whole political system, Vietnam has completed the Millennium Development Goals on gender equality and empowerment of women and girl children ahead of schedule.

Vietnam’s achievements are reflected in women’s participation in political leadership. Vietnam ranks 60^th in the world, 4^th in Asia, and 1^st in the ASEAN Interparliamentary Assembly in terms of women’s participation in elected agencies. Vietnam ranks 3^rd in ASEAN and 47^th out of 187 countries in ensuring gender equality in management positions. The percentage of boys and girls attending primary and secondary schools is equal.