The millennium development goals: Vietnam and the gender targets

Abstract

The turning of the Millennium was marked with the endorsement of the Millennium Declaration and its roadmap, eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aim to tackle poverty worldwide. The event gathered heads of states of an unprecedentedly large number of countries, rich as well as poor ones that bound themselves to the MDGs targets and indicators by 2015. This research aims to examine the progress Vietnam has made with the gender targets underpinned in MDG 3 on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment of the MDGs, using combined qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative approach was employed in the form of interviewing five key gender informants working in key government agencies and international organizations. Statistical information from a range of secondary sources and government reports furnished quantitative data. The results suggest that Vietnam's quest for poverty reduction and gender equality has been well in advance of the MDGs' threshold. As such Vietnam has been pursuing its development goals, including the one on gender equality and women's empowerment, based on its own plans, rather than specifically adhering to the targets of MDGs and MDG 3. The results also provide evidence that Vietnam is likely to achieve the targets of MDG 3 by 2015 but fails to meet the targets it set for itself in its strategy for gender equality and advancement of women. This is largely due to the continuing adherence to beliefs and attitudes of both Vietnamese women and men about women's traditional role and their capabilities. Consequently, there is limited recognition that gender inequality exists, and if gender inequality is acknowledged, it is usually considered a women's issue and addressed by women only. The research paper concludes therefore that it is essential to make gender inequality the concern of everyone, both men and women, in Vietnamese society.