What's next for Gender Equality? Australia launches next phase of support for Women's Economic Empowerment in Vietnam

Hanoi, 23 May 2024 – The Australian Embassy in Vietnam announced, on 22 May, the launch of the next phase of Investing in Women (IW), an Australian Government initiative supporting women’s economic empowerment in Southeast Asia. Established in 2016, IW targets barriers to women's participation in the economy, while fostering an environment for women to thrive in the workplace and succeed in business. 

"With our renewed support for the Investing in Women initiative, Australia reaffirms our commitment to advancing gender equality and accelerating inclusive economic opportunities in Vietnam and the region,” said Australia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr Andrew Goledzinowski. 

Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, Ms Stephanie Copus Campbell AM, offered the following remarks during her official visit to Vietnam. “It has been truly inspiring to learn about Vietnam's progress in accelerating women's economic empowerment. Australia is proud to work with Vietnam on this journey towards equality, paving the way for a more inclusive future that harnesses the talents and contributions of all.” 

At an event hosted by the Australian Embassy, representatives from private sector companies, development organisations and academia discussed the trends, priorities, and collective action needed to drive gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in Vietnam.  

To date, Investing in Women has provided technical support to the Government of Vietnam for the gender-transformative Labour Code of 2019, supported local partners to deliver campaigns promoting positive examples of gender equality, and collaborated with impact investors to support women-led small to medium enterprises. Investing in Women will build on the momentum achieved, with a focus on advancing workplace gender equality, expanding the care economy, supporting campaigns on gender equality at work and at home, and fostering gender lens investing. 

About Investing in Women: Investing in Women (IW) is a multi-country Australian Government initiative in Southeast Asia that seeks to accelerate women’s economic empowerment. With a focus on addressing structural barriers, IW supports women to thrive in the workplace and succeed in business, fostering inclusive economic growth and development. For more information about IW, visit: https://investinginwomen.asia/ 

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Contact information: 

Ms Nguyen Thi Le Trang 

Senior Communication Officer 

Australian Embassy, Vietnam,  

T: +84 24 3774 0216 

E: [email protected] 

Ms Yin Li 

Investing in Women 

[email protected]