The dialogue on the topic of "Women and diplomacy - The women leadership series" is one of the meaningful and practical activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Vietnam becoming an official member of the United Nations (UN) (1977-2022).

This also one of a series of activities proposed by UN Women in Vietnam to promote and enhance the role of women in leadership and management.

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga - President of VUFO; Mr. Nguyen Van Doanh - Vice Chairman of VUFO attended the dialogue.

The speakers are Ms. Elisa Fernandez - UN Women Representative in Viet Nam; Ambassador Nguyen Thi Hoi - former Director General, General Secretary of the National Commission of UNESCO, former Ambassador of Vietnam to Austria and Canada; Ambassador Dinh Thi Minh Huyen - former Director of the Department of International Organizations, former Ambassador of Vietnam to Canada and the Netherlands; Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga - Deputy Head of International Cooperation Department, Deputy Director of Level 2 Field Hospital No. 4 and Major Nguyen My Hanh - Assistant to the Area Affairs Department of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Force.

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga - President of VUFO delivered the open remark. Photo: Valerie Mai

In the remark VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga, the opening of VUFO, has been emphasized by the United Nations and countries around the world, including Vietnam. In the field of foreign affairs, the role of women is increasingly recognized.

She added that together with women across the world, Vietnamese women have been actively holding important positions in the political system as well as in foreign agencies and organizations. They even participate in UN peacekeeping operations with a higher rate than the UN's target, contributing to enhancing mutual understanding, promoting friendship and cooperation among peoples of the world.

VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga between that dialogue will be a bridge to promote closer and more effective cooperation VUFO, UN and UN agencies in Vietnam for the common goal of promoting peace, friendship, cooperation, social progress and equality.

Elisa Fernandez (middle) - UN Women Representative in Vietnam Photo: Valerie Mai

At the dialogue, the guests all contribute their valuable opinions and experiences on the role of women in all aspects of the society. UN Women Representative in Vietnam Elisa Fernandez said: Women account for half of the world's population. Women themselves have important qualities, experiences and skills in the process of solving life's problems. Therefore, the role of women in foreign affairs, peace building and maintenance is very necessary.

Fernandez also assessed the process for women to participate in the world's most concerned aspects, stressing that the rate is still very lazy. She cited a statistic showing that, in the period 1992-2019, worldwide, only about 13% of women were participating in international negotiations, 6% of women participating in mediation, and 6% of women participating in the process of negotiating and signing peace-related agreements.

Ambassador Nguyen Thi Hoi (left). Photo: Valerie Mai

Sharing the same view with Fernandez, Ambassador Nguyen Thi Hoi expressed that reality has that women can excel in all areas, including diplomacy.

However, she also noted, everywhere, to achieve the goal, women always have to try twice because in addition to the motherhood, women also have to shoulder social work, not to mention that the modern society still holds many prejudices against women.

For diplomacy, the fight for gender is still ongoing because diplomay women have to participate in the activities of representative missions abroad and deal with the relationships in their families,

Ambassador Dinh Thi Minh Huyen (middle). Photo: Valerie Mai

Ambassador Dinh Thi Minh Huyen said that globalization opens up many job opportunities for women and also poses great challenges because these jobs require women to improve their capacity to both meet the while taking advantage of opportunities for development.

As the first Vietnamese female soldier to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission, Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga talked about how the biggest challenge for her was to overcome her own fear and to convince her family in order to complete the task. Through her work, she asserted herself and approved that if male soldiers can do things, female soldiers can too.

The first Vietnamese female soldier to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission, Lieutenant Colonel Do Thi Hang Nga. Photo: Valerie Mai

Major Nguyen My Hanh of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Force. Photo: Valerie Mai

The guests also answered questions from the audiences about the process of a new situation experience, thinking, knowledge and necessary skills in foreign affairs, especially in the context of a new situation with changes.

At the end of the dialogue, VUFO President Nguyen Phuong Nga approved that the sharing of the guests was very useful and meaningful, and at the same time inspired not only female staff but also all staff working in the field. people's foreign affairs and officials doing foreign affairs in general.

Photo: Valerie Mai

Photo: Valerie Mai

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