Empowering women

According to a new report by the International Labor Organization's (ILO) Employer Action Department, businesses that are truly gender diverse, especially at senior levels, operate more effectively and can notice a significant increase in profits.

The Women in Business and Management report: The benefits of change for businesses surveyed nearly 13,000 businesses in 70 countries. More than 57% of respondents agreed that gender diversity initiatives improve business results. Nearly three-quarters of companies that track gender diversity in management recorded a 5-20% increase in profits, with the majority of companies seeing a 10-15% increase in profits.

The report also shows that, at the national level, the increase in women's employment is proportional to the growth of GDP.

In Vietnam, after implementing the Law on Gender Equality in 2006, the Government has issued many specific programs and projects on gender equality to enhance women's power.

Accounting for 50.2% of the population and 47.3% of the workforce in Vietnam, women increasingly assert their important role when participating in all areas of social life, especially the economy.

According to the 2021 Mastercard report, Vietnam ranked 6th among countries with the highest rate of female entrepreneurs and is also the only Asian representative in the top 10 countries with the rate of businesses led by women. 

Statistics from the Vietnam Association of Women Entrepreneurs (VAWE) also show that the proportion of Vietnamese businesses owned by women has increased rapidly in recent years, currently accounting for more than 25% of the total number of businesses and holds the highest position in Southeast Asia.

To eliminate invisible boundaries that hinder development and encourage women to participate in economic development, Vietnam's National Strategy on Gender Equality identifies a goal that by 2025, about 20,000 women will be supported to start business.

The stories we tell below are vivid evidence that empowering women to fully participate in all fields and at all levels of socio-economic activities is contributing to establish more sustainable and equitable social relations.

Actively overcoming gender stereotypes

At 7:30, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen leaves her house to goes to her office as a deputy director of a company specializing in interior design and construction in Hanoi.

At 6:00 p.m., she leaves the office and goes home to cook and take dinner with her family. After cleaning up, she sits down to enjoy tea, looks at the flowers, and relaxes for about half an hour to an hour. At around 9:30 p.m., she enters the room specifically designed for creating art.

Sometimes she designs feng shui bracelets, other times she paints, makes stone paintings, paints on bags... These products are sold to both domestic and foreign customers - those who like handicrafts with unique designs. .

Ms. Huyen has been doing this extra job for more than 20 years. Currently, even though she has a high position and a quite stressful and busy job, she still makes time for this passion. The income from it is enough for her to travel. However, more importantly, it is a job that she loves to reduce stress and accumulate positive energy every day.

“Many people say that I'm a workaholic, who work hard day and night. I tell them that I do it because of passion, not money," Ms. Huyen said.

“If my office job requires me to work meticulously, accurately and under pressure, my side job is completely different. It's more about art. It helps me relieve stress quite effectively, forgetting all the numbers I calculated during the day. Instead, there is a whole room where I can freely create my own dreams."

Ms. Huyen said that the two jobs she is taking on are the way she balances her life and support her very well financially and mentally.

Like Ms. Huyen, Ms. Vu Thi Huong (Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi) spends weekends and after-working hours for a snail noodle shop that she bought a franchise for. She has 8 administrative hours left, she is the chief accountant for a construction company.

Opening a shop in a residential area near her house, she stops by every evening and on weekends to take care of and manage income and expenses. 

Ms. Huong said that accounting is the major she was trained in, and business has been her passion for a long time. Before opening the noodle shop, she also had many different jobs. "Sometimes I sell fashion products online, sometimes I work as a real estate agent, sometimes I sell cars."

Being an active person, Ms. Huong refuses to "sit still" with only professional work during office hours. She said, her side job not only brings her extra income but also helps her stay active and balance her boring accounting job. "I need a job with a stable income, but with a side job, if business goes well, there will be more economic breakthrough."

Currently living and working in Ninh Binh province, Ms. Dinh Thi Hong Nhung's day starts at 4:30 a.m. She spends her early mornings taking care of herself, exercising and planning a meticulous schedule for a day that is always busy for a 38-year-old mother of 3 children.

Busy with official and extra jobs, every morning she still cooks breakfast for the whole family. Initially, when she first started her business, she also encountered some difficulties because she could not arrange time for everything. But later, when she shared her difficulties with her family, she received great support from her husband - whom she recognized as a very good cook.

After finishing her office hours as a civil servant at the People's Procuracy of Ninh Binh province, she returned to manage a famous household goods dealer that has been operating for more than 2 years. "Early every morning, I often plan my day, divide work and rest time, set goals for what must be done, and what tasks can be completed."

Ms. Nhung said that although she is busy and has a fairly developed business, she has no intention of quitting her government job. Because working in the law field is one of her goals, and doing business makes her very happy.

She shared that the reason she chose to do both jobs in parallel was to be proactive and in control of her life, inspiring people through work.

"In addition to being a wife and mother, I think I will inspire other women as a modern woman who dares to think, dare to do and accepts commitment to create social equality."

Nguyen Thao