(VNF) – Dr. Sharman Stone, Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, is on a visit to Vietnam from September 25-30.

Dr. Stone traveled to a remote village in the mountainous province of Bac Kan (source: Australian Embassy)

Dr.Stone has been on her visit to Vietnam to participate in the APEC Forums in the central city of Hue.

Dr.Stone has been taking her business trip as a chance to observe the implementation of Australia’s Aid Program in promoting Vietnam's gender equality, women’s economic empowerment and participation in decision-making processes.

On two days, September 26 and 27, Dr.Stone visited an Australian-funded project called ‘SAFE’ (Empowering female migrant youth) and a vocational traning center for handicapped people run by a disabled female entrepreneur in Hanoi.

She also participated in a gathering with Australian Embassy staff (majority are females) and a dinner with a group of female Australian Alumni in business.

Besides, Dr.Stone visited the Vietnam Women’s Museum to learn more about the roles of Vietnamese women in both the past and present days.

Dr.Stone meeting staff in Australian Embassy (source: Australian Embassy)

During her trip, Dr.Stone also took part in an experience-exchange session with senior female Vietnamese parliamentarians of the National Assembly on women in political leadership.

The ambassador also traveled to two mountainous provinces of Thai Nguyen and Bac Kan, where she met with participants of the Australia Awards Short Course - Women in Leadership (WIL) Journey, the management team of Aus4Skills partner universities and an Australian-funded Women's Economic Empowerment through Agriculture Value Chain Enhancement (WEAVE) project, respectively.

On September 28-29, Dr. Stone will represent Australia in APEC forums in Hue.

Dr Stone has been a longstanding and active advocate on gender equality issues in Australia and internationally. She is a former Australian politician (from March 1996 to 2016), representing the Division of Murray, Victoria. She was elected as the Vice Chair of the Asia-Pacific Population Development Group with special responsibilities for promoting the rights of women and girls in the region./.

( Phi Yen )