United Nations Development Programme
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| Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Politburo member, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, 17th tenure, was re-elected as Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, 18th tenure, 2025-30 term__Photo: Van Diep/VNA |
Introduction
Promoting women’s participation in leadership and management positions is a key global objective, affirmed by Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), and essential for effective governance and sustainable development. In Vietnam, this commitment is formalized through strategic frameworks, notably the National Strategy for Gender Equality (2021-30), Politburo Resolution 11-NQ/TW (2007)[1], and more recently, Politburo Resolution 57-NQ/TW (adopted in 2024) and the 2025 Law on Science, Technology and Innovation. These documents underscore the imperative of leveraging high-quality human resources, creating new opportunities for women’s leadership in strategic areas, particularly in science, technology, innovation and digital transformation (STIDT).
Over the recent years, Vietnam has achieved significant progress in increasing women’s participation in leadership and management within the political system and state administration. Women currently make up 30.26 percent of the deputies in the 15th National Assembly - the highest proportion in more than two decades. Within Party Committees, the share of female provincial Party Committee members rose from 11.4 percent in the 2015-20 term to 13.3 percent in the 2020-25 term.[2] In the state administration apparatus, in 2023, 46.7 percent of ministries, ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies had women in key leadership roles,[3] such as ministers, deputy ministers or heads of departments.[4] Taken together, these milestones highlight a positive trajectory in women’s presence across the political system and public administration, establishing firm foundations for continued progress toward gender equality.
Despite this notable progress, findings from three recent studies conducted by UNDP in Vietnam and national partners (2024-25)[5] indicate a persistent gap. These studies - which examined women’s roles in Party Committees,[6] Government organizations[7] and STIDT governance[8] - collectively show that women’s participation in leadership and management remains limited and does not yet reflect their full potential and contribution.
This article draws on evidence from these studies to provide targeted recommendations for advancing women’s leadership. This effort is critical in the lead-up to the 14th National Party Congress and the elections of deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels in 2026, making this a strategic moment for promoting women’s leadership in the nation’s development trajectory.
Vietnam’s current context: opportunities and challenges
Since late 2024, Vietnam has undertaken institutional adjustments to streamline the organizational structure and realign administrative units with the aim of enhancing governance effectiveness and efficiency. The consolidation of ministries, agencies and administrative units has been pursued to create a leaner structure and strengthen performance. These reforms have important implications for the promotion of gender equality in Vietnam.
At the central level, the mandate for state management of gender equality has been reassigned from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is responsible for organizational structure, civil service, public employees, and public administration. At the same time, socio-political organizations, including the Vietnam Women’s Union, have been restructured as member organizations under the Vietnam Fatherland Front. These are significant organizational changes in coordination mechanisms, with direct relevance to women’s participation in leadership and management roles.
At the local level, the number of provinces and centrally run cities has been reduced from 63 to 34. District-level administrative units have been abolished, while the number of commune-level units has also been streamlined to one-third, decreasing from over 10,000 before the consolidation to 3,321 afterward. The consolidation of provincial- and commune-level agencies and organizations has likewise been undertaken in line with measures at the central level. These historic institutional changes have considerable implications for the role of local agencies and units responsible for gender equality and for advancing women’s empowerment at the subnational level.
The outcomes of the consolidation of provincial and municipal administrative units since July 1 indicate a decline in the proportion of women holding key leadership positions at the provincial level. As illustrated in Figure 1, [9],[10] the proportion of women serving as Secretaries of provincial Party Committees, Chairpersons of People’s Committees and Chairpersons of People’s Councils has declined remarkably. Although these are interim staffing arrangements in the transitional period following the reorganization of the two-tier local government system, the data presented in Figure 1 also suggest that gender considerations have not been sufficiently prioritized in personnel arrangements. This underscores the substantial room for promoting gender equity in politics in the lead-up to the 14th National Party Congress and the 2026 elections to the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels.
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| Figure 1. Women’s representation in key provincial leadership positions (Party Committee Secretaries, Chairpersons of People’s Councils and People’s Committees) in 34 provinces and cities, before and after the consolidation |
At the provincial level, Tuyen Quang provides a telling example. Prior to its consolidation with Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang had been recognized as one of the leading provinces nationwide in terms of the proportion of women in leadership positions. However, after the consolidation, the share of women in Party Committees declined from 29.2 percent to 23.1 percent at the provincial level, and from 29.2 percent to 24.6 percent at the commune level.[11] These figures reflect the reality that organizational streamlining has had a direct impact on the leadership space available for local women officials. Without fundamental changes in personnel arrangements at both central and local levels, it will be difficult to achieve the targets set forth in Resolution 11-NQ/TW and the National Strategy for Gender Equity.
In the 15th National Assembly (2021-26 term), women’s presence in leadership positions remains limited, with women accounting for only 12.5 percent of Committee Chairpersons and 38.8 percent of Vice Chairpersons.[12] Notably, the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment and the Committee on National Defense and Security do not yet have women representatives in leadership positions.
In strategic sectors such as science and technology, identified by the Party and the State as priority areas for development in the coming period under Resolution 57-NQ/TW and the 2025 Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, the number of women in leadership roles remains very modest. The Ministry of Science and Technology has, to date, never had a woman serving as Minister or Deputy Minister. The proportion of women heading departments and directorates under the Ministry currently stands at only 19 percent. At the provincial level, women directors of provincial Departments of Science and Technology account for just 14.7 percent (see Figure 2).[13] This situation indicates that the linkage between STIDT policies and the goals of gender equality remains limited, preventing the full potential of the female workforce from being realized.
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| Figure 2. Women in leadership positions in Ministry and provincial Departments of Science and Technology |
Systematic factors such as gender stereotypes, the dual burden of family and professional responsibilities, and the absence of adequate support mechanisms for career advancement continue to constrain women’s professional development. As intermediary positions that traditionally serve as important pathways for women, such as heads or deputy heads of departments, divisions and units within the political system and state administration, are being reduced, the risk of interruption in women officials’ leadership trajectories has become more evident. This situation might further broaden gender gaps within the political system, state administration, and across the country’s strategic sectors in the years ahead.
Findings from the series of studies conducted by UNDP in Vietnam and its national partners under the theme “Enhancing Women’s Participation in Leadership and Management” provide concrete evidence on these challenges and opportunities, while suggesting policy and practical measures for consideration.
Challenges and opportunities in advancing women’s leadership in the political system and government institutions
Gaps in the legal and policy framework
While Vietnam has adopted a range of resolutions and legal instruments on gender equality, the existing framework remains fragmented and insufficiently binding. Gender mainstreaming has not yet been institutionalized as a mandatory principle throughout the policy cycle. Targets for women’s representation in leadership remain largely aspirational, with limited provisions for accountability, monitoring, evaluation, and dedicated resources. This has contributed to a persistent gap between commitments and actual outcomes.
In strategic fields such as STIDT, policies often adopt a “gender-neutral” approach, with no specific objectives or indicators on women’s leadership. This gap continues to constrain opportunities for women’s advancement into senior positions.
Existing regulations on training, planning and rotation of officials remain insufficient in enabling women’s advancement
In political theory training[14], Party Central Committee’s Regulation 350-QD/TW dated August 29, 2025, on the subjects, criteria and decentralization for political theory training, has lowered the minimum ages for male and female cadres to start participating in non-concentrated training programs (five years lower than that stated in the Regulation 57-QD/TW). Accordingly, female cadres can start enrolling in intermediate-level political theory training from the age of 28, and in advanced-level training from the age of 33.
However, this new regulation might still create an inequality of opportunity between young female and male cadres, primarily because women often bear the responsibilities of childbirth and childcare, which typically concentrate between the ages of 25 and 40. Consequently, many female cadres face difficulties pursuing full-time intermediate- and advanced-level political theory training programs, risking missing out on crucial professional development opportunities during this critical period. In contrast, male cadres during the same age range are generally less constrained by family responsibilities than women and provided them with more favorable conditions to participate in political theory training courses and advance their careers.
Concurrently, under the 2019 Labor Code, by 2025, the retirement age for women is 56.8 years, a difference of about five years compared to that for men (61.3 years).[15] This gap will narrow to just two years (women at 60 and men at 62) until 2035. Furthermore, Politburo Regulation 65-QD/TW dated April 28, 2022, requires that cadres must have at least 10 years of service remaining to be eligible for rotation. This policy causes many female cadres, especially from the age of 45 and older, to lose opportunities for rotation and advancement precisely when they have gained substantial experience and are ready for higher positions.
Women leaders continue to face significant challenges, particularly in the context of restructuring
Although there are favorable foundations, such as strong political commitments, women’s own efforts to advance, the support of social organizations, and opportunities for international cooperation, these factors have not yet been sufficient to enable women to break through into leadership roles in meaningful numbers or in a way matching Vietnam’s own ambitions. Persistent gender stereotypes, the dual burden of unpaid care and professional work, and the lack of coherent support mechanisms continue to constrain women’s career advancement.
In the current context of institutional restructuring, organizational mergers, and streamlining of intermediate levels, women in Party organizations, government institutions, and the field of science and technology face heightened pressures: fewer leadership positions; heavier workload and broader management responsibilities without commensurate support for unpaid care work at home; and, more frequent and distant travel because of greater distances from home to new workplaces. Without timely and targeted support measures, the risk of disrupted career paths and widening gender gaps in leadership remains a pressing concern.
Lack of sex-disaggregated data reduces policy efficiency
An important yet often overlooked challenge is the absence of consolidated, sex-disaggregated data within state management agencies and in strategic fields such as STIDT. Available statistics do not provide detailed gender analysis that capture differences in access to opportunities, resources, and leadership positions.
This gap constrains the ability to assess the current situation, obscures underlying inequalities, and hampers the design of effective support policies. Strengthening the collection, analysis, and dissemination of sex-disaggregated data is therefore critical to ensuring women’s substantive participation in leadership and management.
Good practices from localities in promoting women’s participation in leadership and management
In advancing women’s participation in leadership and management, the Party Committees and authorities of the former Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces as well as Da Nang city have implemented a range of innovative approaches that have yielded positive results in increasing the share of women in Party Committees and management positions. Although these experiences arose from diverse local contexts, they offer valuable lessons for national-level policy development.
Political commitment from Party Committees: In the former provinces of Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc, the strong commitment of senior leaders was reflected in the issuance of resolutions and directives that integrated targets for women officials into personnel work, treating these as a key criterion for assessing performance. Such determination at the top level created motivation and confidence for women officials to step forward, while encouraging grassroots levels to implement concrete measures. These experiences provide important practical lessons that can reform the national-level policy formulation and implementation.
Planning and training linked with practical support: These localities also placed strong emphasis on long-term planning for women officials, coupled with training in political theory, public administration, and leadership skills. Young and capable women officials were included in succession plans for key positions, while being provided with flexible support in terms of time, financial resources, or childcare arrangements when undertaking training. Such measures have enabled women officials to better balance unpaid care and professional work, thereby reducing the risk of disruptions in their career.
Communication and shifting social perceptions: Alongside training, communication efforts were prioritized to help break down entrenched gender stereotypes among certain officials and Party members. Showcasing exemplary women leaders through diverse communication channels has strengthened women officials’ confidence, fostered an enabling environment for their appointment to leadership positions, and contributed to transforming the social perception that men are inherently more suited to leadership than women.[16]
Mobilizing social networks to advance women in leadership and management: In Da Nang city, a distinctive feature has been the active engagement of social organizations and support networks such as the Women’s Union and the Women’s Intellectual Association. Initiatives such as digital skills training, mentoring, support for women entrepreneurs, and gender mainstreaming in STIDT projects have created conditions for women officials to demonstrate their leadership capacity. Combined with a young workforce and a dynamic environment of international integration, Da Nang city has emerged as a strong example of how leveraging social networks and aligning with STIDT development strategies can advance women’s leadership.
Recommendations: advancing women officials’ participation in leadership and management
Improving the legal and policy framework: To further review and strengthen the legal framework to ensure coherence between the law on gender equality and other relevant laws and regulations; to set targets for women officials and make the targets binding requirements rather than “encouraged” or “aspirational”; to integrate women in STIDT leadership with clear objectives and measurable targets as gender considerations.
Strengthening enforcement, monitoring and data: To strengthen the monitoring and supervision of the implementation of the Party Resolutions and Directives on women officials, linking targets for women in leadership with systems of performance evaluation, commendation and rewards; to establish and operate a national gender-disaggregated database on officials and leaders across the entire political system as well as in key sectors, including STIDT; to ensure transparent data, enabling progress tracking, identification of gaps, and timely policy adjustments.
Facilitating planning, training and career advancement: To revise regulations on planning, training, rotation and appointment with greater flexibility to ensure equal opportunities for women. Examples include enabling younger women officials to participate in part-time political theory training; applying the “special case” policy more flexibly in appointments; providing support to women officials in balancing family responsibilities so they can participate in training or rotation programs; and developing specialized training programs, scholarships, and mentoring networks to build and advance the next generation of women leaders.
Promoting communication to challenge gender stereotypes: To strengthen communication and education programs to address gender stereotypes and raise awareness of women’s leadership role and capacity in politics, public administration, and strategic fields such as STIDT; to apply diverse forms of communication, from integrating gender perspectives into training curricula and school education to organizing social dialogues, thereby fostering a culture of respect and encouraging women’s equal participation.
Strengthening support networks and enabling flexible working conditions: To leverage the role of social organizations, professional associations and women’s leadership networks to create platforms for connection, peer learning, and inspirational role models; to adopt measures such as flexible working hours and remote work arrangements to support officials, particularly women, in maintaining and advancing leadership roles in the context of ongoing institutional restructuring and streamlining.
Conclusion
The challenges and opportunities outlined above underscore the urgency of adopting timely and effective measures to elevate women’s leadership and participation in the political system and state administration, commensurate with their proven potential and contributions. Ensuring women’s representation in Party organs, government institutions at all levels, and in strategic fields such as STIDT must be recognized as a strategic priority for the next phase. Advancing this agenda is not only a matter of gender equality but also a decisive factor for enhancing national competitiveness, mobilizing high-quality human resources, and realizing the key directions set forth in the Resolutions of the Party and the State, including Resolution 57-NQ/TW.
The 14th National Party Congress and the 2026 elections to the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels represent decisive milestones for Vietnam to reaffirm its commitment to gender equality and to significantly expand women’s representation in senior leadership. This is a pivotal opportunity to translate commitments into concrete actions, thereby strengthening effective governance, fostering inclusive development, and fulfilling Vietnam’s international commitments on gender equality and sustainable development.-
[1] See the full text of the Resolution at: https://chinhphu.vn/default.aspx?pageid=27160&docid=23675.
[2] Report by the Party Central Committee’s Organization Commission at the seminar on March 11, 2023, “Building and Developing a Contingent of Female Cadres to Meet the Requirements and Tasks in the New Period”, co-organized by the Party Central Committee’s Organization Commission and the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women’s Union in Hanoi.
[3] General Statistics Office (2023). Statistical information on gender in Vietnam 2023. Statistical Publishing House, Hanoi. Available at https://www.nso.gov.vn/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/01.-Sach-Thong-tin-gioi-VN-2023.pdf
[4] Communist Party of Vietnam, Politburo (2025). Regulation 368-QD/TW of September 8, 2025, on the list of positions, groups of positions and leadership titles in the political system.
[5] This Policy Research Brief is developed based on the findings of thematic studies conducted by UNDP in Vietnam in collaboration with national partners during 2024-25, including the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA), the Vietnam Sociological Association (VSA), and the Center for Science and Technology Application and Startup (COSTAS) under the Vietnam Association for Intellectual Women. These three studies consist of: (1) Solutions to Increase the Participation of Senior Women Officials in the Party Committees at the Local Levels Toward the 14th National Party Congress: Experience from Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc Provinces; (2) Senior Women Officials’ Participation in Local Government Agencies in Vietnam; and (3) Women’s Participation in Public Governance of Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation (STIDT).
[6] UNDP, VSA and HCMA (2024). Solutions to Increase the Participation of Senior Women Officials in the Party Committees at the Local Levels Toward the 14th Party Congress: Experience from Thua Thien-Hue and Lam Dong Provinces. Available at: https://papi.org.vn/eng/giai-phap-tang-cuong-su-tham-gia-cap-uy-cua-can-bo-nu-huong-toi-dai-hoi-lan-thu-xiv-cua-dang-kinh-nghiem-cua-tinh-thua-thien-hue-va-lam-dong/
[7] UNDP, VSA and HCMA (2025). Senior Women Officials’ Participation in Local Government Agencies in Vietnam. [Upcoming publication].
[8] UNDP and COSTAS (2025). Women’s Participation in Public Governance of Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation. [Upcoming publication].
[9] General Statistics Office (2023).
[10] Data compiled from https://nhandan.vn/interactive-danh-sach-bi-thu-chu-tich-uy-ban-nhan-dan-34-tinh-thanh-pho-viet-nam-post890597.html (as of June 30, 2025).
[11] See UNDP, VSA and HCMA (2024).
[12] UNDP and COSTAS (2025).
[13] Ibid.
[14] One of the criteria for appointment of personnel to a higher position.
[15] See Government Portal (October 7, 2025) at https://xaydungchinhsach.chinhphu.vn/tra-cuu-tuoi-nghi-huu-thoi-diem-nghi-huu-cua-nguoi-lao-dong-theo-nam-sinh-119241029170451525.htm,
[16] See the PAPI 2021 Report at https://papi.org.vn/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2021_PAPI_REPORT_FINAL_VIE-2.pdf.
