Vietnam has made progress in solving its gender disparity,particularly in education, employment and heath care, said acting UNResident Coordinator in Vietnam Bruce Campbell.

At aclosing ceremony for the joint cooperation on gender equality programmebetween the Vietnamese Government and the UN in Hanoi on Mar. 19,Campbell spoke highly of Vietnam’s efforts and commitments to promoteender equality and women’s empowerment.

In 2009, the proportionof working women stood as high as at 72.3 percent. The number ofmaternal, newborn and child deaths has been reduced remarkably.

The UN will double its investment in promoting gender equality andwomen’s empowerment to 40 million USD in the next five years(2012-2016), according to the UN official.

Vietnam haspromulgated the Law on Gender Quality and the Law on Domestic ViolencePrevention and Control, creating a legal corridor and raising publicawareness on the issue.

In the coming time,Vietnam will focus on solving issues relating to gender violence, thesex at birth ratio disparity and enhancement of women’s leadershipcapacity and generation of steady jobs and income for women as well asencouragement of men to participate in anti-domestic violence campaigns,thus promoting a society based on gender equality.

The jointcooperation on gender equality programme between the VietnameseGovernment and the UN was launched on Mar. 19, 2009 with the involvementof relevant Vietnamese ministries and funding from the SpanishGovernment through the Millennium Development Goals Fund.-VNA