On the morning of October 14, in Hanoi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the award ceremony of the 2023 Women's Start-up, Promoting Indigenous Resources Contest organized by the Vietnam Women’s Union.

This is the 5th competition organized by the Vietnam Women's Union within the framework of the Project "Supporting women's startups in the period 2017-2025" approved by the Prime Minister on June 30, 2017.

Strong entrepreneurial spirit

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh recalled that President Ho Chi Minh dedicated eight golden words to Vietnamese women: "Anh hùng, bất khuất, trung hậu, đảm đang" (Heroic, indomitable, loyal, and capable).

The Prime Minister noted that over the recent past, the Party and State have issued and effectively implemented many policies and mechanisms to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. Women, who account for more than 50% of the population and nearly 48% of the workforce in the country, have been given special attention and favorable conditions.

The Government has issued projects designated for women, assigning the Vietnam Women's Union to preside over the implementation, notably two projects "Supporting women’s start-up in the period 2017-2025" and “Supporting cooperatives managed by women to create jobs for female workers by 2030".

"The Women's Start-up Contest is a large and extensive forum, arousing the potential, enthusiasm, intelligence, and daring to think and do spirit of Vietnamese women in their start-up journey, creating a strong motivation for women across the country participate in diverse economic models," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Women’s contributions via startups have greatly helped with not only national economic development but also the settlement of social issues, political and social stability, and improvement of people’s material and spiritual lives, according to the Government leader.

Praising the 33 projects shortlisted for the final round and the winners, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly valued the VWU’s fruitful implementation of the plan on supporting women to start businesses, which he said has substantially contributed to the nationwide startup movement, gender equality, and comprehensive and sustainable national development.

He emphasized women’s enormous dedications to national construction and safeguarding throughout history, and that entrepreneurship and innovation are important impetuses for the development of each country.

The PM voiced his respect for remarkable efforts by the women in mountainous and ethnic minority areas, disabled ones, or those with disadvantages to show their strong entrepreneurial spirit.

He said that he is impressed with women’s bold startup ideas and efforts to revive traditional crafts, optimize their hometowns’ tourism resources, and make use of all the things blessed by nature from bamboo, rice to herbal plants to create high-value products deeply imbued with Vietnam’s cultural identities.

"I especially appreciate the outstanding efforts of women in mountainous areas, ethnic minorities, women with disabilities, women who come from very difficult and miserable circumstances... with their will and determination have risen and surpassed themselves, proving a strong entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to rise in life," the Prime Minister shared.

Spreading women's start-up enthusiasm

As the startup ecosystem in Vietnam has yet to live up to its potential or keep up with others in the region and the world, women still encounter an array of difficulties for starting businesses, and the country is facing global economic “headwinds”, women should make stronger efforts by themselves. Besides, the Government, ministries, sectors, localities, VWU units at all level, domestic and foreign enterprises also need to support and create conditions for women in this regard, PM Chinh pointed out.

To successfully implement the project's goals and strongly spread the entrepreneurship movement among women, the Prime Minister requested ministries, agencies, localities and the Women's Unions at all levels to implement a number of important contents.

In particular, they were asked to research and improve institutions, mechanisms and policies to create the most favorable environment and conditions for women to start businesses; strongly developing the national startup and innovation ecosystem, with attention to a separate ecosystem for women’s startups; forming and effectively promoting a network of experts, creative startup advisors, investors, and domestic and international investment funds to support women's startup ideas....

The Prime Minister emphasized 5 important contents to promote women's start-up movement.

The Prime Minister requested the Vietnam Women's Union to further strengthen effective and practical activities to support women's startups.

The Prime Minister also called for and requested corporations, businesses, and banks to join hands to support women in startups and business.

According to VWU President Ha Thi Nga, over the last six years, more than 80,000 business ideas of women have received assistance, over 70,000 women started their businesses, nearly 5,000 women-managed cooperative groups and cooperatives been set up, and over 60,000 newly-established firms of women given advice to improve capacity and gaining access to resources for development.