Women played key leadership roles in 15 out of 30 ministries, ministerial-level and governmental agencies, said Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung.

Specifically, there are three female Cabinet ministers, namely Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, and Governor of the State Bank of Viet Nam Nguyen Thi Hong; and 12 female Deputy Ministers.

The Viet Nam News Agency, a Government-attached body, is led by Director-General Vo Viet Nam.

ADB signs loan to support women-led enterprises in Viet Nam ASEAN. Photo: LD

Viet Nam has achieved commendable progress in the field compared to other countries in the region.  According to the 2022 World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report, Viet Nam scores 0.705 on a scale from 0 to 1 in terms of gender gap index, ranking 83 out of 146 countries, improving its position from 87 in 2021. 

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The 2021 election resulted in the increased number of female deputies to the National Assembly and provincial People's Council. The percentage of women in the 15th National Assembly is now at 30.26 percent, which is higher than the previous term.  

Viet Nam has put in place an adequate legal framework to ensure gender equality in political and public life. Article 26 of the Constitution clearly recognises that men and women enjoy equal rights in all fields. This has been reinforced in Article 11 of the Gender Equality Law (2006).

The Southeast Asian nation has other ambitious goals on women's empowerment and women's leadership. The Resolution 26-NQ/TW in 2018 of the Communist Party of Viet Nam sets targets for women's representation by 2030 for Party Committees at all levels (25 percent), and for National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels (35 percent). The country's Gender Equality Strategy 2021-2030 set targets that by 2025, 60 percent of state agencies and local governments must have women in key leader positions, rising to 75 percent by 2030.