English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

CEDAW and the Law:
Assessment of Vietnamese Youth 2003, which shows that more males than females are
involved in risk behaviors, notably smoking, drinking, unsafe sex, motorbike racing and
violence. 557 Women, on the other hand, are far more likely than men to die of ‘old age’. 558
Another area for future gender-based research is suicide. It was the sixth leading cause
of death recorded by Vietnamese hospitals in 2002. 559 A survey of 250 people recovering from
suicide attempts in hospitals found that two thirds of the people were female; and, of those,
80 percent had tried to end their lives because of a conflict with a spouse, boyfriend or family
member. 560
Women in Viet Nam have poorer health status compared to men. 561 Results from the
Viet Nam National Health Survey of 2001-02 (VNHS) show that, in a four-week period, women
were more likely to be ill and with higher severity of illness compared to men. 562 A large
proportion of women and men in Viet Nam are undernourished at 29 percent and 27 percent
respectively. 563 Also, 26 percent of girls and 25 percent of boys under the age of five years are
undernourished. 564 In both health status and nutrition, people living in rural areas and ethnic
minority groups are disadvantaged. 565 The incidence and severity of illness and
undernourishment is also higher for people living in rural areas compared to urban areas. 566
Ethnic minority children have higher rates of undernourishment; for example, among the
Central Highlands ethnic groups around 45 percent of boys and girls are undernourished. 567
Additional health-care needs for women relate to their reproductive roles. Although both
men and women have reproductive functions, woman require more reproductive/sexual
health-care services due to pregnancy, maternity, termination of pregnancy, etc. Many women
are also subjected to GBV, hence requiring appropriate health-care services as well.
Laws, policies, strategies and plans
Bearing these in mind, laws, policies, strategies and plans are in place addressing the equal
right to access health-care services.
Laws
Article 39 of the Constitution provides: “The State makes investment in, ensures the
development of, and exercises unified management over the protection of people’s health…
The State shall see the organization of health insurance and create the necessary conditions
for all citizens to enjoy health care”. Article 39 states as well that priority is given to health care
254
557
Ibid., p. 43 citing the Survey Assessment of Vietnamese Youth 2003
558
Wells, op. cit., p. 42
559
Ibid., p. 43
560
Ibid., p. 44
561
Ibid., p. 35
562
Ibid. citing the VNHS
563
Wells, op. cit., p. 36
564
Ibid.
565
Ibid.
566
Ibid., p. 35
567
Ibid., p. 36
Review of key legal documents and compliance with CEDAW