Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Minister Tanya Plibersek

Vietnam’s policy and achievements in promoting gender equality and raising women’s roles and positions in all fields were highly praised during a visit to Australia and New Zealand by Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

Between June 28 and July 2, Minister Ngan, who is President of the National Committee for the Advancement of Vietnamese Women, and other senior female officials were in Australia and New Zealand to exchange experiences on policy-making and promoting of gender equality, and boosting bilateral ties.

The Vietnamese officials held working sessions in Australia with Parliament Secretary for International Development Assistance McMullan, Minister for Housing and the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek; and President of the Human Rights Commission, Catherine Branson. They paid courtesy visits to Governor General Quentin Bryce and New South Wales Governor, Marie Bashir.

While in New Zealand they worked with the Minister for Social Affairs and Employment, Paula Bennett; Minister for Women’s Affairs, Pansy Wong;  Labour Minister, Kate Willkinson and several congresswomen.

Minister Ngan briefed her hosts on recent socio-economic developments in Vietnam and affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to and wishes to boost multi-lateral co-operation with Australia and New Zealand.

The Australian and New Zealand officials expressed their satisfaction with the growing comprehensive partnership that was established between their countries and Vietnam during Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh’s visit in September 2009.

They spoke highly of Vietnam’s policies and determination and expressed their joy about the achievements the Vietnamese people have made in modernising the country and coping with the global financial-economic crisis to maintain a high growth rate.

They agreed to continue to work with Vietnam in boosting bilateral partnership and co-operation, especially in human resources development, job training, labour affairs, and social welfare while mentioning the possibility of signing cooperation agreements between labour ministries and committing to continuing to provide ODA for Vietnam.

The visit was part of the project for “Enhancing the capacity women leaders in international economic integration” that has been carried out jointly by the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry and the UN Development Programme 2008-2003.

The project has helped female officials have access to scholarships, research, training courses and talks that aimed to strengthen their leadership capacity at a time when the country has been intensively integrating into the world economy.(VNA)