H.E. Nguyen Thi Binh Vice President, Socialist Republic of Vietnam
We are gathering here when the world has just entered the let century with unprecedented upheavals in the history of humankind. Driven by the miraculous achievement s of science and technology, most notably information technology, the trend of globalization is growing vigorously and exerting strong impacts on all countries, peoples, and the lives of every individual on this planet, including women.
Globalization is evidently bringing about new opportunities of development to every country and every people. With globalization, the flow of goods and services have increased. Globalization helps promote capital flows that enable countries and enterprises to better access the capital. Globalization facilitates technology transfer enabling countries and enterprises to acquire new technology in application for further development.
In the process of globalization, the information transportation and communication networks allover the globe help reduce production costs, increase the productivity and efficiency of enterprises, and facilitate exchanges in the world, thus bringing countries and people closer together, increasing independence, expanding cooperation in resolving global issues.
On the other hand, globalization also raises many great challenges. Trade liberalization as a result of globalization often offers greater benefits to developed countries and multinational corporations while adversely affecting developing nations and small enterprises. Capital flows as well as technology transfer often take place intensively first and foremost between major powers and big corporations which inherently own capital and source technology. In that context, economic crises may break out easily and have contagious effects. Globalization is also increasing the gap between rich and poor countries as well as between the rich and poor in each country. In this process. women and children in developing and poor countries are the most disadvantageous.
All women in the world have the earnest desire to live in peace and lead a better life. However, women in developing countries and poor women in general, especially those who do not have access to education, capital, and information technology are encountering enormous challenges. Therefore, it is the responsibility of governments to find ways to optimize their advantages and enhance their competitiveness and international cooperation in order to boost economic development while creating equal opportunities for people from various strata.
During the past years the Vietnamese Government has done its utmost to create the most favorable conditions for all people to participate in and actively contribute to the country’s socioeconomic development and the improvement of people‘s living standard. In that process, Vietnamese women have made great progress and have played a crucial role. The majority of Vietnamese women are actively participating in all economic, social, cultural and political activities of the country. Vietnamese women are an important labor force. Many of them are also in leading manage m e n t positions of government agencies and enterprises.
Statistics show that women occupy nearly 20% of the management of enterprises. Almost 30% of Vietnamese farmer households are headed by women. They play an important role in all industrial services and agricultural sectors in Vietnam.
Vietnamese women are particularly dynamic in running small and medium- sized enterprises in labor- intensive industries and in poverty- reduction activities. Many women are also making great efforts to get access to and master new technologies. Despite huge difficulties and challenges in the aftermath of protracted wars and as a result of the transitional period in a poor country. Vietnamese women, having a glorious tradition in the struggle for national independence and being endowed with strong resolve and talent are striving to enhance their position and make greater contributions to the socio- economic development of the country.
In our national development and international integration, we have drawn an important lesson. A wealthy and happy life for the people, particularly for women and children, can only be achieved when peace is maintained, when mutual respect is upheld among nations, no matter big or small, and only When sustainable, equitable development is the goal pursued by all governments to ensure a balance between economic growth and social objectives including equal opportunities for all and especially for disadvantaged people and children in the development process. As humankind is entering a new glorious era, we should be conscious that it is not only market values but also invaluable humane values that we must together preserve and develop.
