UN Women supports over 7,000 women as force of resilience in communities in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in Viet Nam
Date:
Led by the Viet Nam Women’s Union (VWU), the five-year Official Development Assistance Project on Strengthening Women’s Capacity in Disaster Risk Reduction to Cope with Climate Change will increase women’s participation in decision making to effectively address climate change adaptation in disaster-risk provinces of Binh Dinh, Quang Binh, Thua Thien – Hue, Dong Thap and Ca Mau – benefiting at least 1,540 women and girls in each location.
Caption: UN Women with the Viet Nam Women’s Union is strengthening
the role of women at commune level in the decision making process on
climate change and natural disaster reduction and management actions.
Phu Yen and Ninh Dinh provinces, Central Viet Nam, 31 August 2011.
Photo credit: UN Women/Krista Seddon
Forty representatives who attended the signing ceremony are from VWU, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Planning and Investment, United Nations agencies, international non-governmental organizations and local socio-political unions working in the area of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
Speaking at the event, Mme Nguyen Thi Tuyet, Vice President of the VWU praised the results of the previous cooperation with UN Women in Phu Yen and Binh Dinh provinces. “After two years, the project enhanced local women’s role in disaster risk reduction through awareness raising and it promoted the culture of preparedness in the communities to disseminate early warning messages effectively.”
By implementing the project, VWU, the socio-political organization with 15 million members nationwide, will strengthen women’s participation in climate change and disaster risk management. The project will increase awareness and promote actions a needed to enhance resilience at the community level, including through early warning systems. At the local level, the project will increase women’s participation in the national and local Committees for Floods and Storm Control.
Ms. Suzette Mitchell, the UN Women Country Representatives stressed at the signing ceremony that, “UN Women seeks women’s systematic involvement in decision-making processes regarding climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness at all levels, enhancing their active participation in the key responsible player as well as to advocate for gender sensitive Disaster Management Law and availability of sex disaggregated data collection in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation interventions.”
UN Women has provided funding and technical assistance to Viet Nam Women’s Union (VWU) since 2010, particularly in Phu Yen and Binh Dinh provinces, two coastal areas regularly affected by storms and floods.
Media contact:
Ms Nguyen Bao Nga, IEC Department Officer, Viet Nam Women’s Union
Ph: +84 4 3972 0065
Ms Vu Phuong Ly, Senior Programme Officer, UN Women Viet Nam
Ph: +84 4 3942 1495 (ext. 292); E-mail: ly.phuong@unwomen.org
More information on Viet Nam Women’s Union at http://www.hoilhpn.org.vn/
More information on UN Women at www.unwomen.org; http://asiapacific.unwomen.org
Viet Nam Women’s Union (VWU) is a socio-political organization in Viet Nam’s political system, representing, attending for and protecting the legitimate rights and benefits of women, contributing to strengthen the Communist Party, participating in State management, uniting and encouraging women to follow the directions and guidelines of the Party, as well as the laws and policies of the State, and advocating for gender equality. VWU is a member of Viet Nam’s Fatherland Front, a member of the Women’s International Democratic Federation and of ASEAN Confederation of Women’s Unions.
The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.