Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the third ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit via videoconference, at an invitation of his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone.

Themed “Strengthening care economy and resilience towards ASEAN Community post-2025”, this year’s event focused on the challenges and difficulties faced by women in undertaking unpaid care work and the associated multidimensional consequences such as gender inequality, limited access to education and employment opportunities, and gender-based violence.

In his speech, Chinh emphasised the great contributions by women, noting that they not only help enhance the quality of life for each family but also are pioneers in promoting the sustainable development of society.

He told participants that in 2023, the average number of hours Vietnamese women spent on unpaid domestic and caregiving work was 1.78 times that of men, and the country is striving to reduce this ratio to 1.7 by 2025. In terms of gender equality, Vietnam ranked 72nd out of the 146 countries in 2023, jumping up 11 places compared to the 2022 rankings.

He highlighted the need to promote collaboration to harness the potential and unleash the labour force of women, and enhance the care economy and resilience towards the ASEAN Community after 2025, with a comprehensive, inclusive, and global approach, and the effective engagement of the entire society, government and community, and the entire region.

The Vietnamese leader proposed ASEAN member states enhance awareness and mindset regarding the role of women, and promote stronger policies to encourage their equal participation in all fields; step up innovation, improve infrastructure, and develop a high-quality, accessible, and affordable public healthcare system, particularly in far-flung areas; and strengthen cooperation to protect the rights and legitimate interests of workers, prevent abuse, exploitation, discrimination, and illegal activities, including transnational crimes such as human trafficking.

Present at the summit in Vientiane, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha shared about the current state of the care economy in Vietnam, challenges of social prejudice against the role of women, limitations in care service providers, especially in rural and remote areas, and limitations in social security coverage for care workers, leading to gender and income inequality. From there, she proposed recommendations to promote the development of the care economy and enhance the role of women.

PM Sonexay Siphandone highly appreciated the attendance, speeches, and contributions of PM Chinh and the deputy minister at the summit. He invited Chinh to visit Lao🧜s and attend th♏e 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related meetings, scheduled to take place in Vientiane in October./.