Tiếng ViệtOn December 5, 2024, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) coordinated with the Center for Environment and Community Research (CECR) and the Technical Working Group on Gender Equality and Climate Change Adaptation (TWG) to organize a seminar on the theme: “Vietnamese Women Join Hands in Taking Action to Respond To Climate Change And Reduce Disaster Risk.” The seminar was held at the Hanoi UN Green One House to celebrate the completion of the COP29 Conference held in November in Baku, Azerbaijan.
A group photo of delegates
Climate change and natural disasters are increasing both in frequency and intensity, seriously affecting the living standard and livelihoods of people, especially ethnic minority women and informal workers. In the context of implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and Net-zero Carbon, women and vulnerable groups must face numerous challenges in accessing resources, finance, and technology to respond to and recover from crises.
The seminar was attended by distinguished guests, including Ms. Caroline Nyamayemombe – UN Women Representative in Vietnam; Ms. Caroline Beresford – Ambassador of New Zealand to Vietnam; Mr. Johan Ndisi – Ambassador of Sweden to Vietnam; and over 50 delegates from the Vietnam Women’s Union; private sector enterprises; scientific and technological organizations; civil society organizations; and experts.
Ms. Caroline Nyamayemombe – UN Women Representative in Vietnam
Ms. Caroline Beresford – Ambassador of New Zealand to Vietnam
Mr. Johan Ndisi – Ambassador of Sweden to Vietnam
Opening the discussions, Ms. Chu Thanh Huong – Deputy Head of Divison for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Ozone Layer Protection, Department of Climate Change, presented in detail “Key Achievements of the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP29.” As a member of the Vietnamese delegation attending COP29, Ms. Hương shared key issues discussed at the conference, such as enhancing climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, loss and damage, climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.
Ms. Chu Thanh Huong,
Deputy Head of Divison for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Ozone Layer Protection
The roundtable discussion session of the seminar was moderated by Ms. Hoang Tu Anh – Director of CCIHP, an expert in health, sexual and rights equity, and gender-based violence. There are four remaining panelists: Ms. Hoang Thu Hồng – Head of the Communication and Education Department, Hanoi Women’s Union; Ms. Vu Thi Bich Hop – Co-chairwomen of the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG); Ms. Nguyen Hoang My – Deputy Director of Vietcycle; and Ms. Doan Vu Thao Ly, Gender Expert, Representative of TWG. The panelists shared practical experiences, such as strengthening women’s roles in environmental protection, promoting the circular economy, and mainstreaming gender equality into climate change adaptation initiatives. The session emphasized active and meaningful participation of women, which would contribute to make effective and sustainable solutions. Delegates also made specific recommendations on policies, resources mobilization, and communication to ensure that the important role of Vietnamese women is recognized and promoted.
Roundtable discussion
The Technical Working Group on Gender Equality and Climate Change Adaptation, supported by UN Women, launched a digital application to measure women’s contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions called the WAZNET app and a Podcast on women’s contributions to greenhouse gas emission reduction for climate change adaptation. The podcast would share real-life stories and raise community awareness, while WAZNET would provide tools for measurement and data transparency, supporting the development of gender equality policies.
The Technical Working Group introducing WAZNET and the Podcast
The plenary session of the seminar, moderated by Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Ly – Founder/Chairwoman of the Management Board of CECR, focused on sharing practical experiences and discussing the challenges and solutions for women to contribute more effectively to those mentioned above fields. To conclude, the discussion put forward specific solutions to ensure that the crucial role of women is recognized and promoted, contributing to enhancing the development of sustainable and equitable development.
Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Ly – Founder/Chairwoman of the Management Board of CECR
The seminar ” Vietnamese Women Join Hands in Taking Action to Respond To Climate Change and Reduce Disaster Risk” was a great success, attracting the participation of many experts, social activists, and related agencies. The seminar has provided a more thorough understanding of the serious impacts of climate change on women and vulnerable groups. Simultaneously, it affirmed the important role of women in climate change adaptation and building a sustainable future.
