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| General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam speaks at the meeting with female NA deputies in Hanoi on October 29__Photo: VNA |
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam met with female deputies to the 16th National Assembly (NA) in Hanoi on October 29, urging them to strengthen their role in lawmaking, policymaking and oversight, promote substantive gender equality and contribute to national development.
Reporting at the meeting, Nguyen Thi Thanh, member of the Party Central Committee, NA Vice President and President of the Group of Female Deputies to the 16th NA, said the 16th legislature has 150 female deputies, accounting for 30% of its membership.
In his remarks, General Secretary and President Lam commended the contributions of generations of female deputies, stressing that the 16th legislature bears a major responsibility for institutionalising the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress, realising development goals through 2030 and laying the groundwork for the country’s vision towards 2045.
Amid rapid global changes and advances in science and technology, he said, Vietnam faces major opportunities alongside growing demands for self-reliance, institutional quality and national competitiveness. Every decision made today must address immediate needs while paving the way for the country's long-term development.
The Party and State leader emphasised that women’s intelligence, capabilities and mettle must be fully brought into play. Gender equality, he said, is not only a constitutional right but also a prerequisite for development quality. When women are denied opportunities to study, work or contribute because of prejudice, the country loses part of its human potential. Ensuring gender equality is therefore the responsibility of the entire political system and society, and must be reflected in policies and the daily work of every organisation and individual.
He called on female deputies to contribute proactively to lawmaking from the earliest stages, ensuring that policies are grounded in practical evidence, constitutional, consistent and enforceable. They should identify shortcomings before laws are adopted, put forward initiatives in the common interest, maintain their independent judgement and uphold integrity to prevent group interests from distorting policymaking.
He also urged them to engage deeply in decisions on socio-economic development and public finance, particularly the 2027 socio-economic development plan and budget, ensuring that growth targets are matched by efficient resource allocation and improvements in people’s living standards. Policies should create favourable conditions for production, higher-value products, job creation and income growth, while assessing whether women can participate in and benefit from development opportunities.- (VNA/VLLF)
