VietNamNet Bridge – Some 80 delegates from 11 countries in the East Asia-Pacific region gathered in Viet Nam yesterday (April 4) to discuss gender integration in rural transportation.

The programme’s objective is to help government bodies in the region tackle issues on gender inequality in transport projects, according to the World Bank’s press release. — Photo VNA

The World Bank (WB) workshop, hosted in Ha Noi, is part of a regional Gender Capacity Programme for Rural Transport projects, including exchange visits, technical assistance to participating countries, and a forum representing rural transport projects to discuss ways to reach male and female beneficiaries. The event invited technical experts from the social and transport sectors, national gender institutions and policy, and project management levels.

The programme’s objective is to help government bodies in the region tackle issues on gender inequality in transport projects, according to the World Bank’s press release.

It will also help participating clients form action plans which are based on suitable practices from relevant lessons from other rural road projects and modify them to fit with individual project development objectives.

The WB is supporting peer-to-peer learning through the contribution of professional ideas that can be transferred, replicated and scaled up.

During the three days of workshops participants will discuss the rationale and implementation for integrating gender in the project design of rural roads; institutionalise effective road maintenance and poverty reduction as well as the gender aspects of road safety.

Examples from countries in the region such as Viet Nam, Laos, China, Nepal, India, and the Solomon Islands on integrating gender in project designs will be addressed at the event.

Participants will visit the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai to learn about local women’s road maintenance groups in four communes of Bac Ha District.

Viet Nam has promoted the role of women over recent years, especially in the participation of women in the country’s major legislative and representative bodies such as the National Assembly (NA) and People’s Councils.

Viet Nam’s percentage of female delegates increased from 3 per cent in the 1st NA to 24.4 per cent in the current 13th NA.

The country aims to increase the number of female members in representative bodies to 35 per cent in the upcoming years.

Source: VNS