A meeting of Women Parliamentarians of AIPA (WAIPA) was held under the form of a video conference on September 8 within the framework of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41). Vietnamese Standing Vice Chairwoman Tòng Thi Phóng, head of the AIPA-41 organising committee, chaired the meeting.

A draft resolution titled 'The role of women parliamentarians in securing jobs and income for women workers' was adopted on Tuesday in the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians of AIPA (WAIPA) within the framework of the General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41).

The draft is expected to be submitted for approval at the AIPA-41 on Thursday.

Addressing the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Việt Nam Tòng Thị Phóng mentioned the severe impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on female workers.

“Closing the gender gap in employment should be a top priority if we want to achieve gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls by 2030,” she said.

Delivering a speech at the meeting, Chairwoman of the National Assembly Committee for Social Affairs Nguyễn Thúy Anh, who presided over the meeting, recalled actions by Vietnamese parliamentarians in response to COVID-19, including reviewing and approving the bailout package for those affected by the pandemic, encouraging people to adhere to recommendations against the pandemic, while conveying citizens’ needs and demands during the pandemic to authorised agencies.

Other activities included monitoring the implementation of policies against the pandemic and post-pandemic supporting policies; integrating relevant matters; supervising works of the National Assembly; as well as adjusting working plans and programmes to work with the Government to fight the pandemic.

She also made recommendations for securing jobs and income for women workers. First, she mentioned enhancement parliamentary activities, monitoring of the State budget, representing women and assisting in building the capacity of women in response to the pandemic, as well as promoting women’s leadership in emergencies.

Second, she proposed the enhancement of parliamentary co-operation for a responsive and cohesive ASEAN Community while devising supporting measures for women workers and disadvantaged people amid the pandemic.

Thúy Anh also suggested more exchanges to share experience in establishing and improving working policies for women and more learning and working opportunities for women.

Participants at the event discussed the impacts of COVID-19 on female labourers and measures adopted by their parliaments to address challenges facing women during the outbreak as well as policies and actions to promote gender equality in their countries.