Parliaments urged to promote role in ending violence against women
An online meeting discussing measures to abolish gender discrimination, sexual harassment and violence against women in parliaments and from all walks of life took place on August 18 evening as part of the 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – An online meeting discussingmeasures to abolish gender discrimination, sexual harassment and violenceagainst women in parliaments and from all walks of life took place on August 18evening as part of the 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament.
Statistics showed that one in every three women in the worldhad once suffered from physical or sexual violence. Amid the COVID-19 pandemiccoupled with armed conflicts, insecurity and migration, women and girls arefacing a higher risk of violence and abuse.
According to surveys released by the Inter-ParliamentaryUnion (IPU) in 2016 and 2018, gender discrimination, harassment, and violenceagainst women in parliaments have become more popular at different levels inall parts of the world.
Participants stressed that parliaments, as law-making bodies,need to make public and properly tackle these sensitive issues. To support theeffort, the IPU has issued guidelines for the elimination of genderdiscrimination, harassment and violence against women.
They agreed a strong institutional framework and capableagencies are necessary to address the problems, adding that national assembliesand deputies should reinforce their monitoring function to ensure related lawsand policies are effectively enforced.
They suggested parliaments continue completing their legalframeworks by building laws that include a comprehensive definition of sexualharassment; identification of violencebehavours and their victims; criminalisation of all forms of sexual and genderviolence; and victim protection measures.
The legislators underscored women’s role in eliminatingviolence against them in parliamentary and social activities. Femaleparliamentarians should be active in making recommendations on the matters andfacilitating measures to fight them, they suggested./.
A new project targeting the elimination of violence against women and children in Vietnam was launched on June 17, in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ASEAN Leaders’ Special Session at the 36th ASEAN Summit on Women’s Empowerment in the Digital Age, held on June 26 via videoconferencing, has adopted a Chairman’s Press Statement. The following is the full text of the statement.
The National Assembly of Vietnam has proposed organising the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41) in the form of a teleconference at Hanoi’s International Convention Centre on September 8-10, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said on August 5.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan attended an online summit of the world’s NA female heads held on August 17 under the theme of women’s leadership at NAs in the time of COVID-19 and post-pandemic recovery.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
Indonesia is taking new steps to improve protections for fishery workers, amid concerns over low wages, harsh working conditions, and limited access to social welfare.
The 2025 ASEAN- the Republic of Korea (RoK) Connectivity Forum that opened in Jakarta on June 17 reaffirmed a shared commitment to shaping a connected, resilient future by advancing the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.
The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament (Photo: VNA) 
