Australia aids gender equality project via agriculture, tourism in Lao Cai
The Lao Cai People’s Committee and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam held a workshop in the northern mountainous province on August 21 to launch the Gender Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) project.
Lao Cai (VNA) – The Lao Cai People’sCommittee and the Australian Embassy in Vietnam held a workshop in the northernmountainous province on August 21 to launch the Gender Responsive EquitableAgriculture and Tourism (GREAT) project.
The project, worth nearly 300 billion VND (12.9 million USD),includes the Australian government’s non-refundable official developmentassistance (ODA) capital and the corresponding capital from the local budget.
It aims to promote gender equality and increasethe social-economic status of women in Lao Cai through improving the efficiencyof agriculture and tourism development.
The project will be carried out from 2018 to2021 in Bat Xat, Muong Khuong, Bac Ha, Sa Pa, and Van Ban districts.
Justin Baguley, Counsellor of Economic andDevelopment Cooperation at the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, said theAustralian government has implemented a number of activities to support thedevelopment of Lao Cai.
Through this project, Australia hopes to furtherenhance cooperative relations with Vietnam, and particularly Lao Cai, as wellas empower women in disadvantaged areas, he added.
The project aims to increase the incomes of atleast 20,000 women and generate new, paid jobs for 2,000 others by 2021.
At least 15 percent of enterprises orcooperatives will be led and co-managed by women.
The project will also support the development ofpolicy dialogues and attract 6 million USD from the private sector to conductbusiness activities. –VNA
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At the launching event (Source: baomoi.com) 
