Australian Government and alumni work together to promote leadership pathways for women
 

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, HE Mr. Hugh Borrowman and Australian Embassy officials joined Vietnamese Australia Awards Alumni on Saturday, 20 June 2015 in Hanoi to discuss factors affecting women’s career progression and strategies for promoting their leadership pathways in the workplace.

An Australian Government-commissioned study (December 2014) revealed that male alumni were almost 50 per cent more likely than female alumni to be in a management position, and women reported lower rates than men in being successfully promoted upon return to Vietnam.

Co-hosted by the Australian Embassy and Ms. Vu Xuan Nguyet Hong, a senior female alumnus, the seminar was attended by 90 alumni out of 100 participants and focused on practical approaches to supporting women’s empowerment and leadership in the workplace.

“Everyone benefits from women actively participating and succeeding in the workforce. We need to support women’s pathways to leadership, whether their goal is to start a business, be a leading researcher, policy advisor or community leader” said Mr. Borrowman.

“The best way to promote a woman is to promote a woman”, said one female alumnus during a study interview.

Since 2012, the Australian Government has provided more than AUD10 million in direct support of women’s economic empowerment and decision-making, and towards combating domestic violence in Vietnam.

Australia will continue its support for gender equality in Vietnam, including through activities to strengthen women’s leadership skills and involvement in community decision-making structures.

For more information on the Australia Awards program, please see: http://www.australiaawardsvietnam.org/index.php/en/  (English) http://www.australiaawardsvietnam.org/index.php/vi/ (Vietnamese)

Media contact: Mr. Tran Nam Anh, Tel+84 4 37740211; email: [email protected]