The delegation had meetings with leaders of the SBFIC, German Savings Banks Association (DSGV), Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid of the Netherlands ( CORDAID)…. These are donors of a micro finance fund of VWU entitled TYM. In addition to valuable experiences in terms of policies and practices presented by these organizations through meetings, the delegation received commitment for continued support to TYM for its effective operation. on this occasion, the delegation had meetings with Ministry for Economic Cooperation and German Development Service (DED) and had also received commitment for support to the Vietnamese women in the fields of economic development, natural resources management, health care and institutional capacity building.
It is note worthy that in this trip, the delegation attended the annual meetings of WIDF hold for the first time ever seen in European Parliament, Brussels, Belgian. Participants to the meeting were from 20 member countries and 2 observer countries. In this meeting, VWU delegation shared with other delegates its views on gender equality and fighting against women’s right violation. The delegation also raised difficulties and efforts made by the Vietnamese people and women in the process of international economic integration and in facing with negative impacts of globalization, just to name a few, labor and employment, rich and poor polarization, trafficking in women and children, domestic violence... Especially, the delegation put forward the issue of consequences of Agent Orange used by the US army in the Vietnam War in the past. on this occasion, the delegation presented the role played by VWU in policy advocacy in protection of women’s rights and interests in the national industrialization and modernization (e.g. Law on Gender Equality, Law against Domestic Violence, Resolution #11 of the Polibureau on women’s work).
During the visit to Europe, the delegation visited Vietnam Embassies in German, Netherlands, and Belgium and been informed about the cooperation of Vietnam with respective countries and the situation of the Vietnamese women community here.
As supported by the respective Vietnamese Embassies, the delegation had opportunities to communicate and meet with a number of the Vietnamese women residing and studying in these countries. In meetings, on behalf of the delegation, Mrs. Kim Thuy informed about activities of VWU including the results of the 10th National Women’s Congress, which includes the direction of gathering the oversea Vietnamese women towards the homeland and VWU.
Women participants expressed their thought, sentiment and wish to make contribution to the national construction through a number of projects on health care development, environment protection... They proposed that VWU and the Ministry of Foreign Affaires should cooperate to facilitate the establishment of women’s clubs/or women’s organizations locating in these countries.