UNITED NATIONS, Jul 30 (IPS) - For the last 10 days, experts from the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) have been reviewing the status of women's rights in 11 countries.

More than a hundred children and young people from 21 provinces around the country took part in a two-day (August 5-6) sensitization workshop on the topic of climate change and children in Hanoi.

This was the theme of a seminar held in Hanoi on August 5 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Film star Hong Anh will begin a three-week acting course in the US on July 15 at the invitation of the John F. Kennedy Centre for Performing Acts.

Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tran Nam has announced the number of poor families who will enjoy housing support based on the Prime Minister’s Decision 167/2008/QD-TTg. Accordingly, over 480,000 poor families will be given support for housing, with a total capital of over VND 7.7 trillion.

The pageant aims to honour women who are beautiful and successful and have much contributed to the society.

More than 150 representatives of women’s union chapters from 63 provinces and cities nationwide gathered at a seminar in central Hue city on July 26 to discuss solutions to prevent trafficking of women and children.

Ha Noi — Under the leadership of Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly, Tong Thi Phong, the NA Standing Committee yesterday discussed the draft Law on Health Examination and Treatment and the Law on the Elderly.

The first-ever pageant for married women in Vietnam will see the participation of several beauty queens of previous pageants for single women. However, their names will be announced after the preliminary round, August 15, said the organising board.

Twenty-six out of 85 countries have registered to send contestants to the 2009 Mrs World Pageant, which will be held in the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau in November, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.