More women than ever are holding political decision-making posts worldwide, but gender parity is still far off, said the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in a report released on March 7.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (L) and President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde (Photo: Twitter)
Hanoi (VNA)ꦓ – More women than ever are holding political decision-making posts worldwide, but gender parity is still faroff, said the Inter-ParliamentaryUnion (IPU) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and theEmpowerment of Women (UN Women) in a report released on March 7.
The report provides the latest rankings and regional distribution ofcountries with women in executive and parliamentary positions as of January 1. The results show that the number of women in political leadership roleshas increased overall. However, the presence of women in high-level leadershippositions in government or as heads of state and government remains verylimited. Asof the beginning of this year, 11.3% of the countries worldwide had women as heads ofstate (excluding countries with monarchy), and 9.8% recorded women as heads ofgovernment. These both numbers increased compared to a decade ago when theywere at 5.3% and 7.3%, respectively. The report pointed out that only 13 countries,mostly in Europe, had gender-equal cabinets, with 50% or more of women cabinetmembers as heads of ministries and above. Meanwhile, there were still nine countriesthat had no women cabinetmembers heading ministries. According to the report, men continued to dominate in policy areassuch as economic, defence, justice, and home affairs portfolios. Women onlycomprise 12% of the cabinet ministers leading defence and local governmentportfolios, 11% of energy, natural resource fuels, and mining portfolios, and8% of transport portfolios. "We’re seeing ongoing progress in the number of womenin politics this year, which is encouraging. However, we still have a long wayto go to reach gender equality when we see the current rates of growth,” said IPUSecretary-General Martin Chungong./.
Moscow’s regional public organisation for women’s rights protection “Women of our city”, the Vietnamese Association in Russia and the “Creation” Funding on March 4 organised a musical show to celebrate International Women’s Day.
The Ministry of Planning and Investment held a meeting spotlighting disabled women's determination to overcome difficulties, in Hanoi on March 8 as part of activities marking International Women's Day (March 8).
As Vietnam continues its move towards global integration, Vietnamese women have made a host of positive contributions to the renovation, construction, and defence of the Fatherland, promoting and affirming their role and position within society.
All 20 crew members aboard the Vietnamese oil tanker GT Unity were successfully rescued from a fire in the vessel’s engine room, thanks to the swift response of the Liberian-flagged ship Androusa and Vietnamese maritime rescue teams.
Describing Agent Orange as one of the most severe and enduring legacies of the war in Vietnam, Vietnam's former Honorary Consul to Belgium Joseph-Michel de Grand Ry warned that its impact – still affecting generations more than five decades later – could last another two to three decades.
Running from August 4 to September 2, under the hashtag #TuHaoVietNam, the campaign invites participants in two categories: “I Love My Country” video clips and “I Love My Country” check-in photos.
Decree No. 219/2025/ND-CP, which took effect on the issuance date, introduces amendments that integrate the procedure for reporting and explaining the demand for foreign workers into the process of submitting applications for work permits.
With a tight 13-month deadline, the move is under a strategic and urgent policy to bridge educational gaps, train the local workforce, and shore up territorial sovereignty in some of the country’s most remote areas.
The parade and personnel send-off ceremony will officially take place on August 10 at the area surrounding the Statue of King Ly Thai To and Dinh Tien Hoang street of Hoan Kiem ward, with the participation of nearly 3,000 officers, soldiers, and local residents.
According to national technical regulations, AIS installation is mandatory for boats carrying more than 50 passengers. However, operators of smaller vessels (under 50 seats) in Ha Long Bay have voluntarily committed to completing installation by the deadline to enhance operational safety.
The activities include a Vietnamese language teaching training course for overseas Vietnamese teachers from August 13 to 28 in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Thai Nguyen.
Specifically, the ships will carry out patrols from 7am to 6pm daily along the main tourist routes in Ha Long Bay, with one ship permanently stationed at Ti Top island. From 6pm to 7am the following day, the mobile vessels return to Tuan Chau island to maintain a 24/7 on-call duty shift, ensuring constant readiness.
The Ministry of Construction (MoC) plans to open to traffic 208km of expressways of six key projects by August 19, bringing the country’s total expressway network to 2,476km.
As of July 1, a two-tier local government model started in 34 provinces and cities, streamlining administration but creating a surplus of public properties. If not promptly addressed, these assets could become a financial burden.
Whether they grow up to become journalists, diplomats, or professionals in other fields, these children can one day become bridges of friendship and cooperation, telling new and inspiring stories of Vietnam – China relations, said Ambassador Pham Thanh Binh.
A 21-year-old Indian tourist was successfully resuscitated and treated by doctors at Hoan My Da Nang Hospital after a near-drowning incident left him in critical condition. After three days of intensive care, the man was discharged from the hospital and has since returned to India.
In an document issued on August 5, the PM emphasised the need to stablise living conditions for people hit by floods, landslides, and flash floods in late July and early August in northern and north-central provinces, especially Dien Bien, Son La, and Nghe An which suffered some of the worst damage.
Although millions of Vietnamese were affected by AO, only over 626,000 individuals, including war veterans and their children suffering from dioxin-related conditions, are currently receiving state benefits.
The team’s haul, including one Champion title, 10 golds, seven silvers, and four bronzes, surpassed expectations. Vietnam, competing since 2019, has secured over 200 AIMO medals, cementing its regional standing.
The guiding principle for revising the national energy master plan is that energy development must align with the country’s socio-economic development strategy. The energy system should be optimised as a whole, targeting sustainable and diverse development to ensure stable and adequate energy supply to meet national goals.
The Vietnam Disability Fashion Show 2025 aimed to honour the diverse beauty of individuals, promote humanistic values, and foster equality and social inclusion.
The Party and the Government pay special attention to accelerating the development of clean and green energy sources to support double-digit socio-economic growth target and ensure national energy security, focusing on developing the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plants.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (L) and President of European Central Bank Christine Lagarde (Photo: Twitter) 
