English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

A Gendered and Rights-Based Review of Vietnamese Legal Documents through the Lens of CEDAW
city/provincial level will reach 28 percent in the term 2004-2009 and 30 percent in the next
term; at the district level, it will reach 23 percent in the term 2004-2009 and 25 percent in the
next term; and, at the commune level, it will reach 18 percent in the term 2004-2009 and 20
percent in the next term. The Plan of Action for Advancement of Women provides that at least
30 percent of the female deputies in the 12th National Assembly; and, that in the term 2009-
2014, the percentage of female deputies in the provincial, district and commune levels is 23
percent, 25 percent and 27 percent respectively.
The CPGRS identifies as one of its objectives/targets the increase of participation of
women in agencies and sectors at all levels by an additional 3-5 percent. Among its monitoring
indicators is the percentage of female representatives in the National Assembly and people’s
elected agencies. The SEDP enumerates - as one of its expected results in relation to
Major Policies and Measures to Achieve Goals and Targets of the SEDP 2006-2010 - the
increase by 3-5 percent of women in the National Assembly, People’s Councils at all levels,
and elected bodies. This is also reiterated in the Poverty Reduction and Social Development
Targets of Viet Nam by 2010.
However, as Viet Nam is a one-party State, increasing women’s participation in elected
bodies is closely linked to their extent of leadership and participation in the Communist Party
of Viet Nam. For example, in the recently concluded National Assembly elections of 2007, non-
Communist Party of Viet Nam members won 43 seats or 8.72 percent. 346 (See discussions in
Indicator 58.) Further, as mass organizations play a critical role in nominating candidates for
elections, the leadership and participation of women in them increases opportunities for
women’s participation as candidates.
In the recent 2007 elections for the 12th National Assembly, female deputies made up
25.76 percent of the total National Assembly deputies. 347 Although this is a good result, it shows
a decline from the figures from the 10th National Assembly and 11th National Assembly, which
had 26.22 percent and 27.31 percent of female deputies respectively. 348 Note, though, that this
result has not met the targets set in the National Strategy for Advancement of Women, Plan of
Action for Advancement of Women, CPGRS, SEDP and Poverty Reduction and Social
Development Targets of Viet Nam by 2010. Further, it has also not met the 30-35 percent goal
set by the CEDAW Committee in GR 25.
As for the People’s Council, the election in 2004 brought about an increase in female
deputies at the provincial, district and commune levels from 22.3 percent, 20.1 percent and
16.6 percent respectively (in the term 1999-2004) to 23.8 percent, 23.0 percent and 19.5 percent
respectively (in the term 2004-2009). 349 Female representation at the provincial People’s
Council has not met the target set in the National Strategy for Advancement of Women, although
it has at the district and commune levels. Monitored against the CPGRS and SEDP, all levels
have not met the target increase of 3-5 percent. More importantly, the figures are still distant from
the goal urged by the CEDAW Committee in GR 25 of 30-35 percent representation.
177
346
Viet Nam Women’s Union, ‘Women of Viet Nam Review No 2/2007’, Viet Nam Women’s Union, Ha Noi, 2007 (Viet Nam
Women’s Union Review)
347
Ibid;
348
Combined Fifth and Sixth Periodic Report, p. 23
349
World Bank Assessment, p. 33
Political and public life (Articles 7 and 8 of CEDAW)