Communist Review - Born in the struggle for national liberation, after 90 years of building and development, under the leadership of the Communist Party, the Viet Nam Women’s Union has increasingly promoted its role as a representative organization, looking after and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of Vietnamese women. The Union has become a large and widespread socio-political organization, gathering a large number of women from all walks of life to actively participate and make worthy contribution to the cause of national construction and defense.

The proud tradition of Vietnamese women

Talking about Vietnamese women is talking about the courage, selflessness, self-sacrifice, industriousness, patience, dedication, loyalty, talent and creativity. From the beginning of our nation’s construction and defence, the good qualities of Vietnamese women have shone with the nation’s indomitable spirit of struggle, including several typical examples such as Trung Sisters, Ba Trieu, and Queen Mother Duong Van Nga, Imperial Concubine Y Lan, female general Bui Thi Xuan, etc. affirming the role of women in leading the country and fighting against foreign invaders.

Throughout the nation’s history, from the period of nation building and struggle against the Northern invaders until 1930, Vietnamese women have always affirmed their distinctive will, qualities, traditions and culture; making great contributions to the history of the nation’s development in various fields. This is the basic foundation for Vietnamese women to continue the path of national struggle for liberation under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam.

Since the birth of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (February 3, 1930), the activities and contributions of Vietnamese women to the cause of national liberation and construction have always been associated with the leadership of the Party. The Resolution of the 1^st Party Central Committee Conference in October 1930 clearly stated: “The women’s revolutionary force is a very important one. If the masses of women do not participate in revolutionary struggles, the revolution will not gain victory”⁽¹⁾

This is a historic resolution, opening a new page in the history of the Vietnamese women’s movement and Union. For the first time in Viet Nam’s revolutionary history, there is a political party that properly assesses women’s revolutionary roles, positions and abilities and has appropriate guidelines and leadership methods to rally and mobilize women to join the path of revolutionary struggle.

The Vietnamese women’s movement strongly and extensively developed from the 1930s to 1931 with various activities, gathering a large number of women to participate in the revolutionary struggle movement, claiming economic benefits, life improvement life, and resisting  imperialist and feudal oppression. The names of the Women's Union through the periods are associated with the central tasks of each revolutionary period, such as the Liberalization Women’s Union (1931 - 1945), the Anti-Imperialism Women’s Union (1936 - 1938), the Democratic Women’s Union (1939 - 1940), and the Women League for National Salvation (1941 - 1950). During these periods, women had both participated in protecting the revolutionary soldiers, boosting production, and directly fighting against the enemy; at the same time, directly commanding and leading revolutionary and uprising activities in the localities. Under the leadership of the Party, women’s organizations made an important contribution to the overall victory of the August Revolution in 1945. Typical example for this period was Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, former Secretary of the Saigon - Cho Lon Party Committee, one of the leaders of the 1936 -1939 revolution in Saigon. Her martyr sacrifice showed the indomitable spirit of Vietnamese women, being loyal to the Party, posing strong influence on the fighting spirit of women across the country.

Tempering and maturing through two resistance wars

On October 3, 1946, the Viet Nam Women’s Union was officially established on the basis of a collection of women’s organizations, in which the core was the Women League for National Salvation. During the nine-year long resistance war, a large number of liberated women actively participated in political, economic, cultural, social, military and national defense activities, contributing to the victory of the resistance war against the French colonialists.

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, Vietnamese women had both actively performed tasks in the rear and directly participated in combat on the battlefield. Thereby, there had been many vibrant and widespread movements, such as women learning to do hard work on land, women intensifying production, buying government bonds to support resistance war, “eliminating illiteracy”, “eliminating starvation”, “new lifestyle”, joining the Association of Soldier Mothers, producing consumer goods, weapons, military equipment, medicine, making an important contribution to the supply for the resistance...

Women had increasingly and actively participated in the political system at all levels, from the executive committee of the party hierarchy to the People’s Council and the Resistance Committee. In the area temporarily occupied by the enemy, women were an important force of both actively participating in the public demonstration and directly involving in combat activities. “The Hoang Ngan female guerrilla team”, the heroic and revolutionary martyrs such as Vo Thi Sau, Mac Thi Buoi, Bui Thi Cuc, Nguyen Thi Chien, Ho Thi Bi, etc. are typical examples bringing fame to Vietnamese women in this glorious historical period. Appreciating the great contribution of Vietnamese women, President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “Vietnamese women including the young and old are trying to make our beautiful home country more beautiful and brilliant”⁽²⁾

After the 1954 Geneva Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Indochina, Viet Nam was temporarily divided into two zones. The South continued the resistance war against the US imperialists to reunify the country; the North was to build socialism, becoming a great rear for the South.

The “Five good” emulation movement began to strongly spread since 1961 (in the North), which was an important basis for women to strive to become full-capable people, being able to shoulder the new and heavy tasks in the cause of socialism building: Good solidarity, production, saving; good policy compliance; good management; good political, cultural and technical study; good family building and children raising.

When the US imperialists expanded their war in the North, responding to the call of President Ho Chi Minh, the whole country was in revolutionary pride and ardour, being prepared to defeat the American enemy. In such atmosphere, in March 1965, the Central Committee of the Viet Nam Women’s Union launched “Three responsibilities” movement (in which Vietnamese women assumed responsibility for the production and work in their menfolk’s place; household to encourage their husbands and children to fight with peace of mind; fighting support and fighting if necessary). The movement quickly turned into a vibrant and vast revolutionary high tide, mobilizing tens of millions of women from all over the country and in all fields, making great contribution to defeat the American imperialists.

The “Three responsibilities” is one of the largest emulation movements in the history of Viet Nam in the modern period, becoming a prominent and typical activity in the Union’s history in the period of 1965 - 1975 and an integral part of the socialist construction in the North. During this period, there were 42 heroines, 9 units of heroines being honored; 1,718 women awarded Uncle Ho’s badge, over 5,000 women offered as national emulation soldiers, nearly 4 million members given the title of “Women of three responsibilities”, etc. They are eloquent examples of the revolutionary heroism of Vietnamese women - ready to sacrifice for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for the happiness of the people.

When the revolution in the South switched to strategic offensive, on March 8, 1961, the Women’s Union for the Liberation of South Viet Nam was established, becoming a front to gather and unite all classes of patriotic women in the South fighting for the liberation of women, the South and national reunification.  At the First Congress of the Women’s Union for the Liberation of the South (March 1965), the emulation movement of “Five Good” was launched, encouraging a large number of women from all walks of life to participate in the struggle against the enemy with the following contents: Good solidarity in political struggle, well-armed, and effective agitprop; good production and savings; good care and nurture wounded and sick soldiers; good cultural, political and professional study; good moral training. Millions of women for liberation were pioneers in the direct political struggle movement, forming the famous “Long Hair Army” in the South in the resistance war against the US, saving the country, with the spirit of “fighting until nothing left”. They were the pride of the nation, but the fear of the enemy; deserving to be commended as: “Vietnamese women are brave, hard-working to fight against the American enemy and save the country” by the Communist Party of Viet Nam and President Ho Chi Minh.

There were a lot of examples of bravery, resilience and glorious feat of arms in the movement of women in labor and combat during the resistance war. According to the Ministry of National Defense, up to now, there are 5 female collectives and 327 individuals being conferred the Hero of the People’s Armed Forces and the Hero of Labor during the resistance war. In particular, there were examples of fighting and participating in combat who had sacrificed heroically in the battlefield, prison, base area or home country when participating in paving roads, providing ambulance service, transporting ammunition, carrying out the activities of intelligence, commando, communication, operating the ferry for officers and soldiers to go to war ,etc. such as Mother Suot, sister Ut Tich, sister Phan Thi Rang (the archetype of “Sister Su” in Hon Dat story), the girls of Dong Loc, Truong Bon, Lam Ha ,etc. Additionally, we should mention the great sacrifices of Vietnamese Heroic Mothers who encouraged their husbands, children and themselves to go to war with “three times of seeing their husband and children off, twice times of silent crying due to the news of their death”. To remember these great services, from 1994 until now, the Communist Party and State have officially honored and conferred, posthumously awarded to 139,000 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers. These great sacrifices have highlighted the “heroic, indomitable, faithful, responsible” qualities of Vietnamese women, greatly contributing to the total and complete victory in the cause of national liberation led by our Party. Speaking at the anniversary of the Viet Nam Women’s Union (October 19, 1966), President Ho Chi Minh assessed: “The female movements of “Five good” in the South, “Three responsibilities” in the North are passionate patriotic ones, attracting a large number of women in the two regions to take part in the emulation in production, combat service and direct combat, making a great contribution to the war against American enemy and national salvation of the whole people”⁽³⁾.

During this period, many examples of Vietnamese women had shown their outstanding political stuff and leadership, such as Ms. Nguyen Thi Thap, President of the Viet Nam Women’s Union and the first woman continuously being elected as Vice President of the National Assembly from term III to term VI (1964 - 1981); Ms. Nguyen Thi Dinh, President of the Union of Women for the Liberation of the South, the first woman being promoted to the rank of general in the Viet Nam People’s Army (1974) and also the first Vice Chairwoman of the State Council (1987); Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs (1969), Minister of Education and Training (1976 - 1987), member of the Government, and Vice President of Viet Nam (1992 - 2002).

More than 20 years of training, growing up in the cause of building socialism and fighting for national reunification are truly the most heroic and eventful period of the women’s movement, of the Viet Nam Women’s Union. The Union has been constantly grown up in strength, becoming a school for Vietnamese women, demonstrating the Vietnamese women’s creativity and bravery in the cause of national construction and defense. In the closing speech during the visit to Viet Nam in 1969, the representative of the International Federation of Democratic Women assessed: “Vietnamese women have written an unprecedented page in mankind history with their sweat and blood, promoting the cause of women’s liberation around the world”.

The important role of Vietnamese women in struggling, maintaining national independence and building socialism is an invaluable asset for the Viet Nam Women’s Union to continuously strive for the development and progress of women in the period of national unification and socialist building.

The role of Vietnamese women after the country’s unification and nearly 35 years of renewal

The great victory in the Spring of 1975 ushered a new era of country’s independence, unification and socialist building. In June 1976, the Viet Nam Women’s Union and the Southern Viet Nam Women’s Union were merged, taking October 20, 1930 as the foundation of the Viet Nam Women’s Union. The merge has created a new strength, paving the way for the women’s movement in our country to develop to a higher level. A series of new emulation campaigns and movements have been launched and widely implemented such as: “New women building and defending the Fatherland”, “Being good at both State affairs and household work, striving to sexual equality”, “Women study hard, work creatively, raise children well, build happy families”, “Women help each other develop the household economy, being laborious and practicing thrift to build the country”, “Building a family of 5 Nos, 3 Cleans”, “Moral training: Confidence - Self-respect - Faithfulness - Responsibility” learning and following Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality and style, etc. From these movements, there have been nearly 100 collectives and individuals conferred as Labor Heroines in the renewal period.

Each National Women’s Congress is a milestone marking the development and extremely important role of the Viet Nam Women’s Union. Movements launched by the Union have created an ebullient emulation spirit, becoming a driving force for all classes of women to actively participate and contribute to the successful implementation of the country’s socio-economic development. Through the implementation of these emulation movements, the position and role of Vietnamese women in the new revolutionary period has been enhanced, creating favorite conditions for them making more contributions to the cause of renewal, industrialization, modernization and international integration. Additionally, women’s work, including female cadres, is also highly appreciated in the cause of women’s liberation, realizing sexual equality. On June 7, 1984, the Secretariat issued Directive No. 44-CT/TU, “On some urgent issues in the work of female cadres”, showing the Party’s deep concern for female staff. Directive No. 44-CT/TU has contributed to a drastic change in the view and awareness on female cadres; promoting female cadres participating in the executive committee of the Communist Party, People’s Committee, as well as leadership and management at all levels; intensifying the training and fostering for female cadres; increasing number of Communist Party members among women. As a result, the number of female cadres participating in Party and government work has increased significantly during this period. On July 29, 1980, Viet Nam signed the “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women” (CEDAW) of the United Nations, which entered into force for Viet Nam from March 19, 1982. The signing of CEDAW has affirmed the position of Viet Nam and Vietnamese women in the international community.

On February 12, 1985, the National Committee on the Decade of Vietnamese Women was established, which is also the predecessor of the National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Viet Nam today.

During nearly 35 years of renewal, the role of Vietnamese women and women’s work has always been highly recognized and appreciated by the Communist Party of Viet Nam. The Communist Party of Viet Nam has always emphasizes that women are an important force for socio-economic renewal and development; considered the cause of women’s liberation and women’s work as the responsibility of the Party and people’s organizations, the whole society and each family. The goals of women’s liberation are to practically improve material and spiritual life, enhancing women’s social position, enforcing sexual equality, and building prosperous, equal, progressive and happy families.

Providing chances for Vietnamese women to comprehensively to develop, meeting the requirements of the new era; high-quality female human resource development; training, fostering, appreciating and honoring in order to arouse the potential, intelligence, creativity, entrepreneurship, aspiration of female leaders, managers, intellectuals, officials, scientists, businesswomen, workers, farmers ,etc. are extremely important tasks. What should be emphasized in this period is to make the work of women’s mobilization and female cadres’ work highly prominent: The Politburo issued Resolution No.04/NQ-TW, dated July 12, 1993; the Secretariat issued Directive No.34/CT-TW, dated May 10, 1994. On April 27, 2007, the Politburo issued Resolution No.11-NQ/TW, “On women’s work in the period of accelerating the country’s industrialization and modernization”.  In addition, the Communist Party of Viet Nam also requires the institutionalization of women’s work in the legal system in order to increasingly promote the women’s position and role. Several legal institutions with elements of gender equality have been supplemented and prescribed in many codes, laws, decrees, etc.  In particular, the Law on Gender Equality 2006 was officially approved by the National Assembly, which aims to create equal opportunities for men and women in socio-economic and human resource development, establishing, strengthening relations, cooperation and support among men and women in all areas of social and family life. On such foundations, women’s work has received more comprehensive attention, especially the percentage of female cadres participating in the Central Committee, National Assembly of Viet Nam as well as the Party Committees and People’s Councils at all levels has increased term by term. It is respectable that the first female Member of Politburo is Comrade Nguyen Thi Xuan My, Chairman of Central Inspection Commission (1996), followed by Comrade Tong Thi Phong, the first ethnic minority woman joining the Politburo and holding the position of Vice President of the National Assembly of Viet Nam. In particular, in 2016, for the first time, there were 3 female Politburo Members; including Comrade Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the first Chairwoman of the National Assembly. Up to now, there are 9 female provincial Party Secretary and 2 Chairwomen of the Provincial People’s Committee, showing that the female cadres have been properly appreciated and heightened in leadership and management, aiming for sexual equality.

Promoting the role of Vietnamese women in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Entering the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and deep international integration, the Vietnamese women’s movement is facing new opportunities and challenges. The popularization of many flexible employment models, mobile jobs, digital economy, etc. will help women be more convenient and proactive in balancing their work and family life. The increasing demand for creative workers will enhance women’s opportunities to enter the labor market. However, as Viet Nam is one of the countries with a high percentage of women in the labor force compared to other countries in the world, the risk that the number of women will be negatively affected in the new period is very large. Women having simple, untrained, low-wage positions are most likely to lose their job due to technology displacement. Rural, ethnic minority women with limited education and training, sex discrimination will be at the highest risk. 

To adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the requirements of the new development phase, it is necessary to equip with information technology, good command of foreign language, deep professional knowledge, soft skills, rich experience and quick adaptableness. The Communist Party of Viet Nam, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam have implemented a lot of solutions to create opportunities for female workers to rise up, exercising their rights and contributing more to the country’s economy. However, from the perspective of being an organization representing women’s legitimate rights and interests, with the motto “Where there are women, there is Women’s Union” and “Setting women’s interests and happiness as the goal”, the Viet Nam Women’s Union should be fully and thoroughly prepared to help women overcome these challenges. The tasks that the Union needs to concentrate in women’s work are to pay attention to train and improve professional qualifications for untrained female workers; develop and diversify the employment advice and recommendation in order to expand opportunities for female workers to access jobs in the labor market; intensify propaganda to raise awareness for female workers about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the requirements of the new period, the importance of necessary qualifications, especially confidence and self-motivation to adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as the sense of organization, discipline, innovativeness, adaptability, etc.

The Viet Nam Women’s Union also needs to have appropriate methods to detect, introduce, foster, and contribute to further improving the rate and quality of women’s participation in leadership and management activities at all levels, especially at the strategic level, in order to continue affirming the important position of Vietnamese women in the cause of national construction, defense and international integration. Vietnamese women with the tradition of “being heroic, indomitable, faithful, responsible” has been forged through thousands of years of history, especially with 90 years of experience under the leadership of the Communist Party, virtues of confidence and self-respect, will try to prepare in the best way, equipping themselves with new skills, asserting themselves, being ready to adapt to the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Over the past ninety years, under the leadership flag of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, the Viet Nam Women’s Union has overcome many difficulties and gradually matured, well performing its function of representing, caring and protecting women’s legitimate rights and interests, making active and effective contribution to the cause of national liberation as well as the construction and defence of our socialist Fatherland; through its movements and activities, the Viet Nam Women’s Union has left important imprints on all fields. Entering the new decade of the 21^st century, the core role in women’s work and sexual equality cause of the Viet Nam Women’s Union will certainly continue to be promoted more brilliantly than ever./.

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(1) Complete Party Document, National politics Publisher, Hanoi, 1998, vol.2, p.188

(2) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Volume, Truth National Politics Publisher, Hanoi, 2011, vol.7, p.340

(3) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Volume, vol. 15, p.173

This article was published in the Communist Review No. 953 (November 2020)