The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations recently hosted an international seminar on tearing down the barriers that keep women from equal and inclusive involvement in international law.
Ambassador Do Hung Viet chairs the discussion. Photo: VNA
The event was under the auspices of the permanent missions of Belgium, Colombia, Canada, Portugal, Mexico and Spain, together with the Working Group on Gender Parity for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA).
It drew delegates from more than 80 UN member states, alongside experts, lawyers, legal advisers and advocates from networks campaigning for gender parity in international legal bodies.
In his opening speech, Ambassador Do Hung Viet, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, underscored the fundamental role of international law in maintaining international peace and security, promoting sustainable development, protecting human rights, governing oceans and seas, and strengthening the rule of law in international relations.
The full, equal and inclusive involvement of women in these processes is not only a matter of fairness, he said, adding that it makes international legal bodies, processes and mechanisms representative, legitimate and effective.
Despite recent progress, women remain underrepresented in international legal bodies, including the ICJ, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and the UN International Law Commission (ILC), according to him.
He called for sustained dialogue, sharper awareness and coordinated, practical measures, from the grassroots to global forums, to ensure women are recognised, can contribute meaningfully and have greater access to leadership roles within international legal processes and bodies.
Discussions zeroed in on how existing frameworks and nomination, campaigning and election procedures continue to block women’s equal access and representation to these legal bodies.
Participants pressed countries and international organisations to act in concert to widen opportunities to women, strengthen support networks, bring transparency to nominations and elections, empower female professionals, and build more inclusive working environments across international law.
Leading experts and scholars shared insights aimed at giving women stronger voices, more influence and equal opportunity to shape, develop and apply international law.
Hosting the event underscored Vietnam’s consistent commitment to gender equality, a bigger role for women in global affairs, and the push to reinforce multilateralism, the rule of law and the international legal order./.