(VOVworld) - National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong has underscored the importance of gender equality.

NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong at the 131st Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva. (Photo: To Uyen/VNA)

In her address on Tuesday to the ongoing 131st Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, Madam Phong said Vietnam was well aware of gender equality as the target and a factor to boost women’s advancement and socio-economic development in every country. As a member of the UN Human Rights Council until 2016, Vietnam is actively implementing its international commitments to foster and protect human rights, including the rights of women and girls and abolishing all forms of discrimination and violence against women. According to Madam Phong, gender equality is a fundamental human right and an important means by which to rate the level of social progress. In recent years, Vietnam has made remarkable progress in the implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN conventions on human rights, the Beijing platform on gender equality, and the Millennium Developments Goals.