Two girls Hau (Pa Co ethnic minority) and Hang (Van Kieu ethnic minority), students at A Tuc School in Quang Tri province, on October 11 had a chance to take over the positions of Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Ann Måwe and Plan International’s Acting Country Director Pham Thu Ba in celebration of the 2022 International Day of the Girl (October 11).

Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Ann Måwe, Plan International’s Acting Country Director Pham Thu Ba and the two Takeover girls along with local leaders. Source: Plan

For the fourth consecutive year, the Embassy of Sweden in Hanoi participated in Plan International’s signature Girls Takeover series in celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child.

The activity was initiated in 2012 to honor efforts of girls’ empowerment globally. Being empowered to be ambassadors for one day, the young people participating in the campaign still keep in regular contact with Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam Ann Mawe sharing and inspiring with initiatives to promote gender equality.

In 2019, the Swedish Embassy became the first embassy in Hanoi to participate in the Girl Takeover series.

According to Ambassador Ann Måwe, participating in the “Girls takeover” series every year is an opportunity for her to meet and share with energetic girls who are the pride of their community. These are girls who constantly strive to eliminate gender stereotypes and stereotypes; at the same time, always aiming for a better world, a world where girls and boys are equal.

"This is why we want to support them and contribute to supporting the role and status of girls,” she stressed.

The two girls, Takeover girls in 2022, talked with two female leaders about the challenges they and their friends face in life, including the issue of child marriage and early marriage.

Hang and Hau also told the ambassador how they overcame and are determined to contribute to positive changes in the community.

Hang shared her excitement to take the position of the Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam for the first time: “Where I live, I have only seen female teachers and a Commune Vice Chairwoman, and I have never thought that women could be an Ambassador, or an Acting Country Director. Today, after “taking over”, I am honored and confident. I will do my utmost to become a helpful and capable person, to strike for a better life for myself and others, especially girls. I want them to understand that girls and boys are equal.”

Plan International’s Acting Country Director Pham Thu Ba strongly believes that project activities including offline promotion events like this and other online activities on Em Vui (translates as "I'm happy") platform will not only improve online safety knowledge and skills of ethnic youth but also offer them opportunities of self-development so that they can be the change they aspire in the future.

The Swedish Ambassador to Vietnam joins students of A Tuc Primary Secondary School in their youth-led activity to promote against child, early, and forced marriage. Source: Plan

Ambassador Ann Måwe and Pham Thu Ba also observed and participated in A Tuc School’s activities to promote against child, early, and forced marriage and to introduce Em Vui, an online platform designed to empower the digital capacity of ethnic minority girls, boys and young women and men (age 10 to 24 years) through improving digital literacy skills and knowledge of online safety within the EMPoWR project.

The “Enhancing awareness of ethnic minority children and young people on human trafficking and child marriage through digital technology” (EMPoWR) project, and particularly the “Em vui” digital platform, would help promote gender equality and child protection, particularly for those from ethnic groups.

Earlier, on October 9, in celebration of the International Day of the Girl, Plan International collaborated with Ha Dong district’s Education and Training Department to organize a “Non-competitive Sport Festival" within the framework of the “Sport Spaces for Safety and Equality in Hanoi Schools” project.

The event attracted 550 participants, including students from 20 secondary schools of Ha Dong district and representatives from the district’s Department of Education and Training and Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

At this event, 12-year-old Nhi, a secondary schooler in Ha Dong district, had a chance to take over the position of Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, deputy head of Ha Dong district’s Department of Education and Training.

The “Sport Spaces for Safety and Equality in Hanoi Schools” project contributes to the transformation of power relations and social norms that girls and boys can equally practice sports in safe, secure, inclusive and accessible sports spaces in schools.

“Girls Takeover” is an initiative by Plan International to provide opportunities for girls to experience leadership roles in various fields. Source: Plan

Gender Equality and Empowerment for Ethnic Minority Girls in Quang Tri The protection, care and education of children, especially those from ethnic minority groups, remote, border and island areas, have always been a priority for Vietnam.

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