Generation Equality: Vietnamese people create modern fairy tales for equal future

Ha Noi, Viet Nam — UN Women, Embassy of Ireland and ChildFund Viet Nam are inviting all legal residents in Viet Nam, especially children and the youth, with no age limation, to participate in a new contest to eliminate gender stigma and stereotypes in fairy tales.

The competition, called “Generation Equality’’, starts from 17 October 2019 and will run until 27 November 2019. The winner will have a chance to work with a professional team to develop their stories into a comic book or a video animation. The competition is part of activities to commemorate the Vietnamese Women’s Day, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign 2019 and the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action 2020.

In many fairy tales and bedtime stories for example: the story of Tấm and Cám, Thach Sanh, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc., girls have been portrayed as beautiful, weak, dependent and focused on developing skills which reinforce their socialized roles in the private domain, such as cooking, child care and hygiene. As for boys, they have been prepared for dominant and high-command roles that determine societal dynamics in the public sphere. These include, among others, responsibilities in the army and other leadership roles – activities often requiring intelligence, wisdom, and strength. Therefore, oral literature has served as a means to reinforce gender stereotypes.

It is now time to create modern fairy tales and bedtime stories that help realize women’s rights and promote equality between men and women, boys and girls and other gender minorities. The competition aims to highlight women and girls' value and talent and raise awareness among individuals, especially youth, in Viet Nam, on the role that they can play in breaking down gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality. The competition aims not only to empower women and girls and reduce gender inequalities in literature, but also to be a platform for future generations to access to literary texts with gender equality messages and break down the systemic barriers and social norms that hinder women’s and men’s, boys’ and girls’ enjoyment of their full potential and capabilities.

FORMAT

• Stories: no more than 2000 words; OR
• Drawing(s) with storyline: One drawing or a series of drawings/comic with storyline.

PRIZES

• One First Place Prize: worth 15 million VND
• One Second Place Prize: worth 10 million VND
• Once Third Place Prize: worth 7 million VND
• Two Consolation Prizes: worth 5 million VND

All entries must be submitted before 27 November 2019 to UN Women Viet Nam, 304 Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi or to e-mail: [ Click to reveal ] with the title “Submission for Fairy Tales Competition”.

RULES FOR PARTICIPATION

• Each participant can submit up to 05 entries;
• Entries can be stories (no more than 2000 words) or one/a series of drawings with storyline. If entries are in the form of drawings with storyline, please present the stories in A4 (or larger format);
• Submitted entries must use child-friendly writing as the book’s audience is children;
• Submitted entries must not include abbreviations or words that do not exist in the Vietnamese dictionary;
• Submitted entries must not carry superstitious elements, promote social evils, incite wars or oppose the government, etc.
• Each participant who submits her or his entries should be a single author and should develop and prepare the entries by herself or himself. Entrants represent and warrant that their submission is their original work, it has not been copied from others, and it does not violate the rights of any other person or entity;

For any further information, please contact via e-mail: [ Click to reveal ]