Vietnamese Women's Day: Empowering Women's Voices with International Support

Promotional poster for In Her Voice, UNESCO's webinar for female Vietnamese filmmakers. Photo: UNESCO

On October 19th, the UNESCO, and the Canadian and Swiss Embassies in Vietnam held the webinar “IN HER VOICE”, discussing measures to promote gender equality and supporting female filmmakers in Vietnam.

The event aimed to analyze and discuss the opportunities and challenges of female filmmakers in the film industry. Stories of journeys to attend international film festivals, access to cinema support funds, and priority prizes for female filmmakers were shared.

IN HER VOICE is part of the “E-MOTIONS project: Mobilizing film professionals for regional cooperation” conducted by UNESCO and cooperative partners, with the support from the Trust Fund of Japan. The project aims to enhance the capacity and empowerment of filmmakers, as well as organize activities to connect domestic filmmakers with regional peers.

Christian Manhart, UNESCO Representative in Vietnam, emphasized that the webinar is a great encouragement for filmmakers as the organizers listened to their opinions and introduce them to new opportunities, according to VNA.

Recently, a film by Nguyen Phan Linh Dan, a female Vietnamese director, was honored at the Busan International Film Festival 2021. Dan has worked with BHD, a leading Vietnamese movie producer and cinema chain owner.

AstraZeneca Vietnam fosters female empowerment amid Covid

For International Day of the Girl, AstraZeneca's Young Health Program (YHP) joined the global Girls Takeover to promote inclusion and highlight obstacles faced by young women in Vietnam.

During the event, AstraZeneca representatives stepped aside from their roles to give two female students from the National Economics University a unique opportunity to lead a webcast discussion and share their ideas on how AstraZeneca could further promote female leadership and women’s empowerment.

Yen Nhi and My Hanh, from Ha Giang and Nam Dinh, discussed the emotional and economic challenges posed by Covid-19 while managing both professional and family duties during social distancing. For those in remote areas, the pandemic also put girls at greater risk of exploitation, child labor and gender-based violence.

"Covid-19 outbreaks have not only limited our chances to participate in meaningful social activities, but also exposed young girls to more misinformation, cyber-bullying, and harassment. I hope to see more programs to help equip girls with skills to protect themselves online and other virtual educational opportunities," Hanh said.

The pandemic has placed millions of families, especially women, at risk in Vietnam. Photo: Internet.

My Hanh and Yen Nhi had time to learn about opportunities in science and innovation for women through AstraZeneca’s journey in addressing the pandemic and non-communicable diseases. The two girls then led the panel discussion and shared their ideas on how the company could further its support for women empowerment in Asia, with a focus on Vietnam.

"Programs like Young Health are really helpful as they equip girls with knowledge and skills to take the lead. I realize that I learnt a lot from both training sessions and other group activities. Besides, connecting girls, especially those in remote areas, with female leaders who can serve as role models can help inspire them to take actions for themselves," said Yen Nhi.

Vinh Long provincial youth union providing support to Lao and Cambodian students staying in school dormitory during lockdown. Photo: Thanh Nien.

Contributions from these youths were highly praised by AstraZeneca representatives. "AstraZeneca is proud that almost half of our senior leadership roles are filled by women. Female representation in senior leadership roles is crucial, not just for an organization’s performance and success, but also to nurture an inclusive and diverse environment to generate innovative ideas for sustainable growth," Leon Wang, EVP, AstraZeneca International Area and president, AstraZeneca China emphasized.

Nitin Kapoor, chairman and general director, Vietnam and Asia Area Frontier Markets, reiterated that AstraZeneca would continue to encourage young women empowerment.

"With impactful partnerships and a genuine intent to help, organizations like AstraZeneca can and will go above and beyond to provide equal opportunities to girls, and empower them to raise their voice to build a healthier, fairer future."

Since 2016, thousands of girls all over the world and 982 in Vietnam have been stepping into the roles of leaders in politics, media, entertainment, and business, etc. to demand equal power and representation through Plan International’s efforts in running the Girls Takeover series.

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