Vietnam is entering a new stage of development with increasingly demanding requirements across all sectors, making it essential for women not only to participate in the process but to become one of the key forces shaping the country's future, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man said on June 18.
Addressing the 14th National Congress of the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) for the 2026–2031 term in Hanoi, the top legislator said that despite numerous challenges during the past term, Vietnamese women and the VWU at all levels had demonstrated solidarity, initiative and creativity, making significant contributions to socio-economic development, national defence and security, foreign affairs, Party and State building, and the fight against corruption, wastefulness and other negative phenomena.
He noted that women's living standards had continued to improve, while their role and standing in both family and society had become increasingly recognised.
According to the NA Chairman, the VWU has continued to innovate its operations and strengthen its core role in uniting, mobilising and supporting women nationwide. Emulation movements and campaigns have contributed to new-style rural development, civilised urban areas and sustainable poverty reduction. The Union's role in representing, caring for and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of women has become increasingly effective.
He also praised the Union's proactive efforts in streamlining its organisational structure and adapting quickly to the new three-tier local administration model, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted operations throughout the system.
While commending the VWU for its outstanding achievements during the past term, NA Chairman Man also pointed to several shortcomings, including uneven performance among grassroots chapters, difficulties in reaching female workers in industrial zones, delayed responses in preventing and addressing violence against women and children, limited digital capabilities among some Union officials, underrepresentation of women in leadership and management positions in certain sectors, and persistent development gaps among women across regions.
The NA Chairman outlined five areas requiring thorough discussion and decisive action. He stressed that the VWU must continue to innovate more strongly, improve the effectiveness and practical impact of its activities, and accelerate the implementation of the resolutions adopted by the 14th National Party Congress, the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), and women's congresses at all levels.
The Union should prioritise solutions to enhance women's knowledge, digital literacy, professional skills, foreign-language proficiency and lifelong learning capacity, while paying particular attention to rural women, ethnic minority women and other vulnerable groups.
The NA Chairman also called for stronger support to help women build progressive, civilised, prosperous and happy Vietnamese families, particularly amid rapid social changes, the growing influence of cyberspace and increasing pressures of modern life.
He urged the Union to strengthen education on family values, healthcare and safety skills for women and children, especially online safety. The effectiveness of the Union's work, he said, should ultimately be measured by women's satisfaction and improvements in the quality of life of women and children.
The VWU should further enhance its role in representing and protecting women's legitimate rights and interests, participate more actively in Party and government building, and take a more proactive role in lawmaking, policy monitoring and social criticism related to women, families and gender equality.
Most importantly, he said, the Union must remain close to women, listen to their concerns and understand their needs, ensuring that no woman subjected to abuse, violence or neglect goes unnoticed or unsupported. Every grassroots chapter and Union official should serve as a reliable source of support and protection for women in need.
The NA Chairman also called for efforts to nurture a generation of confident, innovative and globally integrated young Vietnamese women. He urged the Union to expand digital platforms, learning communities and networks supporting careers, entrepreneurship and innovation, while creating more opportunities for young women to engage in social governance and community activities, particularly in science and technology.
At the same time, he encouraged women themselves to continuously improve their knowledge, skills and capabilities, strengthen their families and actively contribute to society.
NA Chairman Man further stressed the need to continue reforming the Union's organisation and operating methods in a more professional, practical and grassroots-oriented direction. He called for further streamlining of the apparatus, avoiding bureaucratisation, strengthening coordination within the VFF system and other socio-political organisations, and accelerating the application of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in the Union's work.
He urged Party committees, authorities, the VFF and organisations at all levels to fully embrace the goals and priorities of women's work in the new era and create the most favourable conditions for the VWU to fulfil its mission.
The NA Chairman also expressed confidence that members elected to the VWU Central Committee for the new term will uphold unity, integrity, creativity, competence and responsibility in leading the women's movement and the Union's activities in the years ahead./.
