English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

A Gendered and Rights-Based Review of Vietnamese Legal Documents through the Lens of CEDAW
articles 2, 3 and 24, States parties should introduce measures directed at encouraging
full compliance with the principles of the Convention, particularly where religious or private
law or custom conflict with those principles.
V.3.1.3 Concluding Comments
The relevant paragraphs relating to Article 5 of CEDAW in Concluding Comments on Viet Nam
2007 are:
Paragraph 12
The Committee reiterates its concern about the persistence of patriarchal attitudes and
deep-rooted stereotypes, including the preference for male offspring, regarding the roles
and responsibilities of women and men within the family and society at large. These
stereotypes present a significant obstacle to the implementation of the Convention, are
a root cause of violence against women and put women in a disadvantaged position in
a number of areas, including in the labour market and in political and public life.
Paragraph 13
The Committee recommends that the State party take measures to bring about changes
in traditional patriarchal attitudes and in gender-role stereotyping. Such measures
should include awareness-raising and public educational campaigns addressing women
and girls as well as men and boys, with a view to eliminating stereotypes associated with
traditional gender roles in the family and in society, in accordance with articles 2 (f) and
5 (a) of the Convention. Special attention should be given to the role of the media in perpetuating
such stereotypes, as well as their role in contributing to a social and cultural
change towards an environment that is supportive of gender equality. The Committee
recommends, in particular, that the Convention be translated into those ethnic minority
languages with their own alphabets and that radio programmes in the languages of ethnic
minorities, among other forms of media, be used in regularly disseminating information
on the Convention and on gender equality.
V.3.2 SELECTED INDICATORS
CEDAW, - and, in particular Concluding Comments on Viet Nam 2007 - requires a number of
measures to be put in place to change practices that discriminate against women, including
cultural practices, stereotypes, and patterns of conduct. A number of focus areas is seen as
critical to bring about change in this regard, including awareness raising on gender equality,
information dissemination on CEDAW and laws, translation of CEDAW and laws into ethnic
minority language, and laying down a role for the media.
The selected indicators for social and cultural patterns of conduct are:
137
Indicator 31
Indicator 32
Indicator 33
Is there legislation that requires the modification of stereotypes and
other practices that discriminate against women
Are there measures in place to provide information on gender and
gender equality
Is there legislation addressing the role and responsibility of media to
refrain from discriminatory conduct and to contribute to achievement
of equality
Social and cultural patterns of conduct (Article 5 of CEDAW)