After more than two years of implementation, the “Advancing Women's Economic Empowerment in Vietnam" (AWEEV) project has had many activities aimed at strengthening the economic rights of poor rural women and ethnic minorities, as well as their participation in income-generating economic activities, VNA reported.

To be able to look back at the project implementation process last year to continue promoting the achieved results and overcome difficulties, on October 4, CARE International in Vietnam coordinated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ha Giang and Lai Chau provinces held a meeting of the AWEEV Project Steering Committee.

The meeting was attended by Shawn Steil, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam; Brian Allemkinders, Development Cooperation Counselor, Canadian Embassy; Le Kim Dung, Director of CARE International in Vietnam; Hoang Gia Long, Standing Vice Chairman of Ha Giang Provincial People's Committee, and representative of leaders of relevant departments and branches of the two provinces and partner organizations.

CARE International in Vietnam in collaboration with Ha Giang Provincial People's Committee organized a working visit to evaluate activities in the second year and made an activity plan for the third year of the project “Advancing Women's Economic Empowerment in Vietnam".

The event is an opportunity for CARE to share the main results that the project has achieved in year two and the work plan for year three as well as receive important feedback and suggestions from partners. These results and action plans have been reviewed and approved by all delegates, effectively opening a new year of project implementation full of opportunities to create positive change in the community, especially for ethnic minority women and poor rural women.

Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Hoang Gia Long, the AWEEV project, which was funded by the Canadian government through CARE, benefited ethnic minority women in Quang Binh district.

Positive results of the project have contributed to promoting sustainable economic development and reducing gender bias barriers in women's participation in economic activities.

Long expressed his hope that the Canadian government and CARE will consider expanding the project to other areas and sponsor other relevant programs and projects in the locality.

The provincial authorities pledge to continue close coordination with CARE and related units to effectively implement the project, he said.

The AWEEV project benefits ethnic minority women in Quang Binh district, Ha Giang province.

Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Shawn Perry Steil showed his appreciation for Vietnam's development and the bilateral relations between the two countries in recent years, affirming that the Canadian government will continue prioritizing assistance to ethnic minority women in mountainous areas of Vietnam in general and in Ha Giang in particular.

The diplomat urged the provincial authorities to continue collaboration and enhance its responsibility and efforts in achieving the overarching goals of the project, contributing to promoting the economic development rights of women and empowering their autonomy.

Implemented from 2021 to 2025, the AWEEV project aims to support 2,635 ethnic minority women and men in six communes of Ha Giang and three communes of the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau. Its total budget is over CAD 4.5 million (over USD 3.27 million).

In Ha Giang, as of May 2023, the project supported 150 ethnic minority women in Quang Binh district in implementing livelihood models involving poultry, pig, and goat breeding, and peanut cultivation, which have helped improve the income and economic well-being of beneficiaries.

In addition, the project also supported the upgrading of boarding classrooms and utensils at 10 preschools with a total funding of over VND 2 billion (USD 82.000) in the district.

Thanks to the project, the amount of time men spend on family care and housework has increased from 2.9 to 3.4 hours per day, while the time women designate to economic activities to create income has risen from 8.2 hours to 11.1 hours per day.

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