As part of a programme between the Vietnamese government and the UN
to ensure gender equality in the country and to prevent domestic
violence, IOM will be providing technical and research assistance
on various gender issues related to migration.

The three-year Joint Programme on Gender Equality supported by
the Spanish Millennium Development Goal Achievement Fund, aims to
deliver more coherent, effective and efficient development support
to Viet Nam by bringing 11 UN agencies and IOM operating in the
country together in a "One UN Initiative".  

The UN in Viet Nam ((FAO, ILO, IOM, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA,
UNICEF, UNIDO, UNIFEM, UNODC, and WHO), in partnership with the
Vietnamese government, will provide strategic, coordinated and
multi-sectoral capacity building and technical assistance to help
implement the newly adopted Law on Gender Equality and Law on
Domestic Violence Prevention and Control and to monitor and
evaluate initiatives to achieve gender equality and women's
empowerment in Viet Nam. 

Whilst Viet Nam has made significant progress towards several of
the Millennium Development Goals, domestic violence remains a
pressing problem and several forms of gender inequality continue to
persist. Women's participation in decision-making continues to be
low, with only one woman among the 22 government ministers. Women
in ethnic minority groups have much lower literacy and education
participation rates, and experience significantly higher infant and
maternal mortality. Women also continue to work longer hours than
men, reflecting their dual responsibility for productive work and
care-giving. 

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the General Statistical
Office of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as well as other
national partners will implement the joint programme with the
UN.

IOM's work will enhance the capability of grass-roots support
groups to deliver assistance to victims of domestic violence and to
advocate directly at the provincial and national level for improved
policies and intervention programmes. The Organization will also
provide technical assistance to gauge levels of child trafficking,
particularly of boys, and technical advice on research on the
situation of prostitutes.

IOM will also support research on remittances from Vietnamese
migrant workers from a gender perspective.

For further information, please contact:

Andy Bruce

IOM Viet Nam

Tel: +84903450196

E-mail: "mailto:abruce@iom.int">abruce@iom.int