Outcome VNM_D_3.1

SN Outcome 3 (CF Outcome 4) Governance and Access to Justice By 2026, people in Viet Nam, especially those at risk of being left behind, will have benefited from and have contributed to a more just, safe and inclusive society based on improved governance, more responsive institutions, strengthened rule of law and the protection of and respect for human rights, gender equality, and freedom from all forms of violence and discrimination in line with international standards.

In 2023, UN Women Viet Nam Country Office made a substantial progress on the outcome 4 on improving governance and access to justice for women and girls in Viet Nam, through its technical support and advocacy to government ministries for the development of important legislations and policies including Viet Nam’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP-WPS), the Social Insurance Law amendment and the Gender Affirmation Law. These efforts collectively foster a more just, safe, and inclusive society in Vietnam, adhering to international standards of human rights, gender equality, and freedom from violence and discrimination, as outlined in SDG5, SDG8 and SDG16. The accomplishments signify a comprehensive approach that not only safeguards the rights of marginalized individuals but actively involves them in contributing to and benefiting from a transformed societal landscape and to become more resilience in time of crisis”. Specifically, the first important undertaking was the development of Viet Nam's first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), submitted to the Prime Minister on December 31, 2023, with the anticipation that the NAP is approved in the first quarter of 2024. This contribution stems from extensive technical support provided by UN Women to the government drafting committee led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It includes study visits, policy analysis, stakeholder consultations, and high-level policy advocacy for the development of the NAP WPS. This strategic initiative directly aligns with UN Women Viet Nam's goal of fostering a conducive environment for gender equality by addressing systemic issues related to peace and security. Utilizing the four pillars of the WPS Agenda (participation, prevention, protection, relief, and recovery), the NAP aims to fortify state and provincial capacities to implement the WPS Agenda and NAP, as well as coordination, institutional frameworks, and legal mechanisms improvement. Secondly, UN Women, alongside ILO, Thrive and Alive, and Oxfam, successfully advocated for a more gender-responsive Social Insurance Law in Vietnam, submitted to the National Assembly in October 2023, focusing on expanding maternity benefits within the voluntary social insurance scheme, marking a significant milestone. This effort led to the introduction of maternity cash support, a groundbreaking inclusion in the voluntary social insurance scheme through the incorporation of a provision of maternity cash benefit of 2,000,000 VND per woman per delivery. This important amendment is anticipated to receive National Assembly approval in May 2024, benefiting especially women in informal sectors who previously lacked such support during maternity. In collaboration with other UN agencies, UN Women had played the central role in advocating for the development of Vietnam's first Gender Affirmation Law (GAL) in 2023. Drafted by the Ministry of Health in 2022, submitted by NA Deputy to the NA in 2023, the GAL has been included in NA legislation agenda 2024-2025. The GAL addresses legal gender recognition and access to health services related to gender affirmation. The draft law is crucial for protecting the rights of individuals seeking to change their legal gender markers. The GAL is anticipated to be discussed by National Assembly deputies in the 8th session (October 2024) and be approved in the 9th session (May 2025), signaling a meaningful change for trans people in Vietnam. In collaboration with MOLISA, VWU, CWD and local authorities of HCMC, Da Nang, and Dien Bien, UN Women facilitated the adoption and implementation of multi-sectoral coordination strategies and victim center approaches to enhance the quality of and access to essential services for women including women migrant workers subject to gender-based violence. This effort is very important to Viet Nam where two third of women have experienced at least one form of violence and nearly 90% of them have never sought help from a service provider. In conjunction with various stakeholders including UN Agencies such as UNFPA, UNICEF, ILO, UNODC and IOM, UN Women played a significant role in advancing legal frameworks to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Viet Nam. UN Women contributed to the decree 76/2023/ND-CP that guides the implementation of some articles of the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control 2022. This decree was effective from 1 November 2023 is crucial in providing adequate protection and support for women experiencing domestic violence in Viet Nam. Additionally, UN Women supported the implementation of national strategies such as the National Strategy on Gender Equality 2021-2030, National Programme on Communication about Gender Equality until 2030, National Programme on GBV Prevention and Response 2021-2025, National Programme on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control in the New Contexts until 2025, National Programme on Human Trafficking Prevention and Control, and decisions at the provincial levels of Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. These efforts collectively contributed to a strengthened legal framework and a more comprehensive approach to combating GBV in Viet Nam. Additionally, with UN Women technical suppport, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for coordinated services were developed together with GED-MOLISA, Ministry of Public Security, Viet Nam Women’s Union with the aim to shift from siloed approaches to more coordinated efforts in dealing with GBV/ domestic and overseas human trafficking cases. The Quito Declaration – the global commitment to accelerate action on safe cities and safe public spaces with and for women and girls were adopted by Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Committee along with nearly 60 cities worldwide – showcasing the active engagement of the two intervened location of VCO in the global agenda. Besides, UN Women's role in supporting UN accountability for commitments on GEWE was marked by several achievements. The development of a screening tool for mainstreaming gender equality and women’s empowerment in UN Joint Programmes in Viet Nam is a significant milestone. This tool, accompanied by guidelines and training to 20 UN staff ensures the visible integration of GEWE in the UN Joint Programmes, contributing to UNCT's enhanced performance in UNCT-SWAP. With t he achievements above, life of selected groups of women and girls in different diversities in Viet Nam especially those in VCO’s intervened locations shall have been improved with enhanced social, institutional and legal environment on GEWE, strengthened capacities of state and nonstate actors to facilitate the transformation of social norms, practices and actions towards a society free of gender-based discrimination and violence, and more coordinated UN system’s accountability in GEWE. The TOC of this outcome in VCO’s strategic note 2022-2026 therefore remains valid and relevant to the country context. The achievements of UN Women Viet Nam Country Office in 2023 offer crucial lessons for future interventions in gender equality and women's empowerment and emphasize the significance of inclusivity, collaboration, innovation, and international engagement, providing a roadmap for future interventions to achieve tangible and sustainable results in the pursuit of gender equality and women empowerment.

SN Outcome 3 (CF Outcome 4) Governance and Access to Justice By 2026, people in Viet Nam, especially those at risk of being left behind, will have benefited from and have contributed to a more just, safe and inclusive society based on improved governance, more responsive institutions, strengthened rule of law and the protection of and respect for human rights, gender equality, and freedom from all forms of violence and discrimination in line with international standards.

Progress has been made towards good gender equality legislation and policy that is inclusive for people from all gender identities and sexual orientations and prevents and responds to different forms of discrimination, and gender-based violence was made in 2022. UN Women supported the government, Ministry of Labour-Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) with a 15-year review of the GEL to identify the main achievements and understand the performance gaps and, from this evidence, propose issues that need to change to accelerate progress towards gender equality in Viet Nam. The review divulged that the time was right for the country to consider initiating changes to the scope of GEL and the legal system of Viet Nam concerning gender equality by expanding the objectives, size, and content of GE to diminish the remaining inequality. This includes addressing GEL restrictive gender binary through its exclusive focus on men and women instead of a more fluid, inclusive interpretation of gender. In the context of human rights and bearing in mind the international commitments Viet Nam has signed on gender equality, it is vital to consider an expanding definition of gender on the grounds of gender-based discrimination to include broader gender identities and sexual orientation. With support from UN Women, the government presented the policy issues for change under the GEL amendment to more than 500 representatives from line ministries, CSOs and social organizations, and LGBTQI groups to amass their input. In support of this, discussions on the development of a legal document on Social Protection were also made in the year to help the government plan for the policies, programs, infrastructure and resources that support the population, including those who are most vulnerable in the society to mitigate and manage the crisis and risks, to protect them from marginalization, discrimination and exclusion from socio-economic opportunities. The first one-stop model for women and children using ESP principles and the city budget was established in 2022 in HCMC under Decision 1275/QÐ/UBND. This showcased the more significant commitment from an improved and responsible government that sets the determination to further protect women and children with concrete facilities and resources. This was also supported by (a) thousands of service providers who, with the support from UN Women, now have increased capacity to deliver coordinated EVAWC essential services for the survivors of violence, (b) the enforced application of the Standard of Procedures (SOP) in providing gender-sensitive legal aid and service referral for victims of GBV and human trafficking and (c) the drafting of the SOP to address sexual harassment cases on public buses and at bus stops. The Prime Minister's decision to develop a National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS NAP) in Viet Nam demonstrates the significant progress in generating the government's commitment to implement UNSCR1325 and subsequent resolutions. Throughout the year, UN Women support focused on sponsoring a series of international workshops on NAP international experiences and case studies of NAPs that could serve as a point of reference for Viet Nam, and on supporting MOFA to lead this process and generate buy-in and support from different stakeholders in the country. As a result, a consortium was created under MOFA's leadership with MOD, MPS and MOLISA/Gender Equality Department to drive the NAP development work and concluded with an official decision to develop a WPS NAP for Viet Nam confirmed by the Prime Minister in December 2022. UN Women in Viet Nam will continue to provide the necessary technical support to the Government of Viet Nam to develop the NAP, which is expected to be completed and approved in 2023. A Viet Nam NAP on WPS will connect with the efforts undertaken at the ASEAN level, mainly the 2019 ASEAN Joint Statement on Promoting the WPS Agenda and the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on WPS launched in December 2022. Moreover, it will reinforce Viet Nam's implementation of other international commitments on women empowerment and the promotion of gender equality, such as the CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action and the SDGs. The year also witnessed an impressive increase in the participation of diverse stakeholders from government, women's unions, civil society organizations, activists, academia, and the public in UN Women's events throughout the year, especially on social norm changes and EVAWC prevention. UN Women also worked to ensure that other UN agencies and donor communities are in sync when discussing, planning, and implementing gender equality-related activities and movements. The leading roles, both technical and coordination, of UN Women toward the UNCT and Head of Agencies' related dialogues further confirmed our unique position in promoting a more just, safer, and more inclusive society in Viet Nam. (TOC) These has proved that the tendency of a whole society approach that is facilitated and to be happening in Viet Nam and years to come when UN Women works to bring in all development actors and related UN Agencies together to promote positive social norms and to dismantle negative gendered attitudes, perceptions and stereotypes so to gradually making gender equality and women empowerment an important mandate and priority for the country.

SN Outcome 3 (CF Outcome 4) Governance and Access to Justice By 2026, people in Viet Nam, especially those at risk of being left behind, will have benefited from and have contributed to a more just, safe and inclusive society based on improved governance, more responsive institutions, strengthened rule of law and the protection of and respect for human rights, gender equality, and freedom from all forms of violence and discrimination in line with international standards.

With the strategic support from UN Women in the year 2024, Viet Nam achieved significant progress in advancing gender equality, women’s empowerment, and inclusive social development. By addressing systemic barriers, fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration, and aligning national priorities with global and regional frameworks, these efforts have positioned Viet Nam as an emerging leader in gender-responsive governance and sustainable development. The outcomes across Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), social protection, GBV prevention, and the care economy demonstrate the interconnectedness of these initiatives, delivering transformative change for women and girls in Viet Nam and beyond. The adoption of Viet Nam’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (NAP WPS) in 2024 marked a transformative milestone, embedding gender considerations into national and global frameworks for peacebuilding, peacekeeping, defense, security, and diplomacy. The NAP WPS aligns Viet Nam with global commitments, including UNSC Resolution 1325 and the ASEAN Regional Action Plan on WPS, positioning the country as a regional and global leader in advancing the WPS agenda. Immediate implementation efforts by the Ministry of Public Security address both traditional and non-traditional security challenges, including cybersecurity, climate risks, human trafficking, and gender-based violence. These synergies between national and regional strategies contribute directly to sustainable peace and security while ensuring the equal participation of women and girls in development processes. Regarding the Eliminating Violence Against Women (EVAW), in 2024, Viet Nam advanced its legislative and institutional responses to violence against women through the adoption of the amended Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking (LPCCH). UN Women indirectly supported this process by developing two key guidelines: • Gender-Sensitive Investigation of Violence Against Women and Human Trafficking Cases • Support for Women Survivors of Violence and Human Trafficking These guidelines were utilized by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) to train frontline staff and develop a national Training of Trainers (TOT) program on GBV prevention, with the key results such as • 1,829 service providers were trained, enhancing victim-centered service delivery and prevention mechanisms. • The 16 Days of Activism campaign reached over 12 million individuals, increasing public awareness. • A National Press Award honored 24 journalists for their contributions to promoting EVAW. • The CWD hotline handled 2,750 calls, reflecting increased effectiveness (provide comparative data). • Peace House shelters supported 107 survivors of violence, further strengthening support services. These efforts aimed to address systemic gaps, enhanced institutional capacity, and reinforced a victim-centered approach to combating violence. Wih the emerging sectors such as Care Economy and Caring Cities, in 2024, UN Women has worked to lay the foundation for a gender-responsive care economy and the development of caring cities in Viet Nam. Initial outcomes obtained with the leaders of Da Nang City have empowered with capacity-building initiatives : • 6 government leaders and 170 companies to implement family-friendly policies and promote decent work for care workers. • 50 leaders in Da Nang were trained to integrate care economy principles into climate-resilient systems, positioning the city as a pioneer in the "caring city" model. These initiatives addressed caregiving challenges and aligned Viet Nam’s efforts with SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). This outcomes also contribute to sustainable development for an aging population while fostering gender equality in caregiving responsibilities. Regarding the Beijing+30 Review, a Beijing+30 Report (2019-2023) of Viet Nam was compiled, with the support of UN Women, ensuring inclusivity despite political constraints and limited space for CSOs. Over 30 CSOs participated in the review process, which renewed Viet Nam’s commitments to gender equality, highlighted gaps, and aligned with global frameworks such as the Pact for the Future and ASEAN gender equality initiatives. This collaborative effort reinforced Viet Nam’s position as a regional leader and set a clear roadmap for future progress in gender equality and women’s empowerment. https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1661658/law-on-social-insurance-2024-to-enhance-social-security.html UN Women also worked to support the Social Protection Reforms, and the amended Social Insurance Law of 2024 confirmed the results of joint advocacy by UN Women, ILO, Oxfam, and Thrive and Alive, incorporated gender-responsive provisions. Key reforms included: • Reducing pension eligibility requirements. • Integrating caregiving responsibilities into retirement benefits. • Introducing maternity allowances for informal sector workers. These reforms addressed structural barriers to gender equality, ensuring broader social protection coverage and advancing SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 1 (No Poverty). Women in informal sectors, particularly those vulnerable to economic shocks, disasters, and crises, now have greater economic security. Capacities were strengthened on Gender-Based Violence and Stigma in Marginalized Communities to combat GBV, stigma, and discrimination among women living with HIV (WLHIV) and marginalized groups, including the VNP+ (Viet Nam Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS), VNW+ (Viet Nam Network of Women Living with HIV) and the MSM, transgender individuals, and HIV-affected women-led livelihood initiatives, with key key achievements such as the Mapping eight sustainable livelihood models, showcasing their economic empowerment potential, Hosting an exchange event on Human Rights Day, with 66 participants (8 males, 49 females, 9 others) enhancing their knowledge of HIV/GBV trends and stigma reduction solutions, 19 media features amplified awareness, reducing stigma and promoting inclusivity in GBV prevention and response services. These initiatives have fostered resilience, reduced stigma, and empowered marginalized communities to thrive.