BuaNews (Tshwane)
Lehuma Ntuane
14 September 2007
Mafikeng — The North West legislature committee will on Saturday jet off to Vietnam for an eight-day visit to learn about women empowerment, domestic violence and HIV and AIDS.
The Joint Committee on Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women will discuss women advancement and the empowerment of women in politics and gender equality with their Vietnamese counterparts.
Chairperson of the committee, Veronica Kekesi said their tour will also look at the eradication of poverty in households which are led by unemployed women, the protection of women and children and how to reduce drug-related crimes affecting women and children as well as the trafficking of women and children.
"The Vietnamese have had impressive success in improving the well-being of women and reducing gender disparities in their country.
"It is regarded as an outstanding example of best practices for the reduction of risk behaviours affecting women, which are often associated with gender roles and relationships.
"And they have put very strong measures in place to reduce discrimination against women," said Ms Kekesi.
According to international indicators on life expectancy, maternal mortality, basic education, and primary health care, the status of Vietnamese women are favourable when compared to other countries in world.
The United Nations Development Programme has ranked Vietnam high in the gender-related development index with a 5 point better ranking than for the Human Development Index.
During their trip the committee will visit the Vietnam Women Union, which heads issues on social status of women in Vietnam, employment of women, women entrepreneurs and women working in the parliament.
They will also visit the National Committee for Advancement of Women in Vietnam, department of labours, invalids, and social affairs and the gender equality, poverty alleviation, social development programmes for women, children and disabled people.
The committee was established in 2002 with the aim of representing women, men, youth and people with disabilities.
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