Women in contemporary society Women in Vietnam

1 women in contemporary society

1.1 family

1.1.1 marriage
1.1.2 domestic role
1.1.3 domestic violence
1.1.4 international marriage


1.2 sex ratio

1.2.1 sex-selective abortions
1.2.2 female mortality


1.3 education
1.4 economy

1.4.1 gender pay gap


1.5 politics
1.6 human trafficking
1.7 vietnam women s union

1.7.1 criticism

women in contemporary society

traditional vietnamese country wedding ceremony

women occupy both domestic , outside sector in contemporary vietnam. women s participation in economy, government, , society has increased. in domestic sphere, little progress has been made improve gender relations. traditional confucian patriarchal values have continued persist, continued emphasis on family unit. has comprised main criticism of vietnam women s union, organization works towards advancing women s rights. furthermore, recent shifts in vietnam s sex ratio show increased number of men outnumbering women, many researchers have stated in part caused two-child policy in vietnam.

family
marriage

following colonization european powers, many lost standing , placed in domestic sphere. instead of being involved in society, women worked trade intermediaries , expected marry , become housewives. shift in gender roles became new cultural practice , lasted years until vietnam war, when women in rural vietnam became discouraged marrying , female singlehood became growing trend. common belief after mid-twenties, women considered undesirable , marriage way of life. cap marriage @ age because after time, women no longer bare children, necessity survival of family name. in addition, notion of one-person, self-sufficient household not acceptable , looked @ selfish , lonely. after age of twenty-five, single women enter period make transition temporary permanent non-marriage. go through period, society perceived them being wishful or regretful . however, when women interviewed, showed no sign of remorse rejecting marriage proposals during prime ages marriage. happy decision opt out of possible miserable life husband.

familial obligations, during vietnam war, forced many women put off marriage until reached age viewed unfavorable . young age, eldest child of vietnamese family had variety of obligations uphold. 1 of having care younger siblings. during time of war, difficult parents overlook agricultural labor while taking care of children. if eldest daughter married off, family lose hand of labor. because of obligation, women rejected offerings of marriage. after war, women continued around household , replaced men lost in combat. although many still had proposals marriage, believed fate had been single long , meant singlehood. gender imbalance followed vietnam war cause in rise of single women. hard them because men living in rural areas hesitant marry them. in addition, work @ state farms , forestry stations stationed in remote areas. limited women socializing opposite sex.

studies have shown there marriage discrepancies between rural , urban areas in vietnam today. according nguyen et al., women rural areas shown enter marriage @ younger age women urban areas. furthermore, evidence has shown there difference in marital , familial values between north , south vietnam. according 1 study, these differences between north , south regions due separation during mid-20th century, degree of socialist or western influences on north , south, respectively. cultural differences between northern , southern vietnam include marriage rituals, family living arrangement, household composition, , premarital sexual behaviors according study teerawichitchainan et al.

domestic role

confucianism s emphasis on family still impacts vietnamese women’s lives, in rural areas, espouses importance of premarital female virginity , condemns abortion , divorce. according 2006 study, on past decades, little progression in gender relations have been made. household chores , labor still performed vietnamese women; however, women in vietnam have shown increased influence in familial decisions, such household budgets , education of children. in terms of childcare responsibility, men have shown increased participation @ earlier ages of childcare, though women overall still bear main responsibility. women seen mothers, , considered have shown respect husband’s lineage if give birth boy. while patrilineal ancestor worship shows girls outside lineage (họ ngoại), consider boys inside lineage (họ nội). vietnamese society tends follow ancestral line through males, pushing women periphery. vietnam has 2 child policy. families want @ least 1 boy, prefer 2 boys 2 girls, use ultrasound machines determine baby’s sex later abort female offspring.

the main religion in vietnam traditional folk beliefs (see vietnamese folk religion). not organized religion, adopt many confucian views. 1 of main views takes confucius patrilineal society. men head of family , more lineage protected. pertains motherhood, vietnam women seen , used mothers. female virginity of extreme importance, in rural areas, , society condemns abortion , female divorce. if women wants show respect husband, best way can bear him son.

there several patterns in birth rates amongst vietnamese women. in 1 2008 study nguyen et al., women found have given birth time reached age 20. however, same study has found higher education level woman received, later age @ gives birth first child.

domestic violence

the issue of domestic violence has faced scrutiny in vietnam. in 2007, vietnamese legislation passed law on prevention , control domestic violence, reported 32% of vietnamese women have suffered sexual violence spouses, while 54% of women in vietnam have suffered emotional violence. speculation has rose on viability of divorce solution in situations of domestic violence. due prevalent local attitudes , measures taken towards preventing divorce in order preserve family unit, rather helping victims escape domestic abuse. additionally, surveys have indicated 87% of domestic violence victims in vietnam not seek support situation.

in study comparing chinese , vietnamese attitudes towards women, more vietnamese chinese said male should dominate family , wife had provide sex husband @ will. violence against women supported more vietnamese chinese. domestic violence more accepted vietnamese women chinese women.

international marriage

some vietnamese women lao cai married chinese men stated among reasons doing vietnamese men beat wives, engaged in affairs mistresses, , refused wives chores, while chinese men actively helped wives carry out chores , care them. vietnamese women traveling china mail order brides rural chinese men earn money families , rise in standard of living, matchmaking between chinese men , vietnamese women has increased , has not been effected troubled relations between vietnam , china. vietnamese mail order brides have gone taiwan , south korea marriage.

sex ratio

recent studies have shown shift in vietnam s sex ratio match of other countries in region, proportions uneven , men outnumber women. in 2006, sex ratio found 110 men per 100 women throughout vietnam, higher established normal sex ratio of 106 men per 100 women. researchers have pointed preference small family size, stems vietnam s two-child policy, preference sons, , increase in ultrasound , abortion usage cause of sex ratio shift.

sex-selective abortions

in 1988, vietnam introduced two-child policy. policy introduced because of population size of vietnam. however, because of policy, if woman gave birth son first, chances of having second child dropped dramatically if desired have more children. if woman gave birth daughter first, more have second child if did not wish have additional children. because families in cases rather have @ least 1 boy. ensure sex of children in recent years, vietnamese families have increasingly been using ultrasound technology , enhancing , developing produced images. leads abortion of female offspring. of late 20th century, economist amartya sen has noted recent advent of sex-selective abortions further increase phenomenon of missing women worldwide. notion alludes worsening of women-to-men ratio, men continuing outnumber women.

female mortality

since 1970, overall child mortality rates have declined. however, contrary nearby countries such india , china, male child mortality rates have shown higher female child mortality rates years 1970-2000. in study done pham et al., boys 30% more girls die before specified age.

school classroom in rural district of tam Đường


education

overall literacy rates across vietnam high, access education being relatively equal between males , females. however, regional differences still apparent, amongst mountainous northern regions. example, in 1 study, region of lai chau found have literacy rate men double of women s literacy rate in region.

there gender gap in education, males being more attend school , sustain education females. women , men tend segregated different jobs, more women serving in educational, communications, , public services men.

economy

in contemporary vietnam, there has been significant economic advancement women, middle-class vietnamese women. middle-class women have increasingly become more involved in workforce sector outside of house, 83% of working-age women being involved in labor force. these women have been taking on professions dealing variety of fields such sales, marketing, , advertising. furthermore, women in contemporary workforce , economy experience higher wages generations before them. however, research has shown many inequalities women still exist, women still receiving uneven employment benefits compared male counterparts. according 1 study, 76% of women in labor force concentrated in agricultural sector. , although under 10% of women in labor force work in textile industry, 80% of laborers in textile industry women.

local credit associations not feel secure giving loans single mothers, has resulted in poverty increase households led woman.

gender pay gap

the average wage in country of vietnam us$1,540 in 2012. in 2011, studies showed women earn 13% less men. 2012 survey on workers’ salaries carried out vietnam general confederation of labour (vgcl) in enterprises nationwide revealed female workers’ salaries 70-80% of male colleagues’. global average gender pay gap hovering around seventeen percent according nguyen kim lan, ilo national project coordinator, 2 occupational fields pay equal in logistics, , household care. 1 reason disparity companies view women wanting stay @ home , perform more gender role duties .more seventy percent of laborers in vietnam women. international labour organizations stated gender pay gap has started increase, according ilo global wage report during 2012-13 period, compared 1999-2007. 2 percent increase in gap recorded in vietnam in period.

politics

Đặng thị ngọc thịnh, current vice president of vietnam since april 2016

women’s participation in national assembly @ lowest since 1997. little progress has been made move ahead of 30% average of women’s representation in vietnam. within vietnam communist party, women’s membership has climbed, , in 2010 33%. significant increase 2005 when women’s membership 21.9%. despite increase, membership of women in party still less men. additionally, number of women leaders in key positions such in politburo, central committee , secretariat remains low. on regional level, women occupy 23% of district positions, 23% of municipal positions. united nation millennium development goals, vietnamese government has developed own set of goals committed increasing percent of women in government, in 2011 still @ 30%. 1 example of vietnam s efforts improve women representation in national strategy advancement of women, set goals reached 2010. however, vietnam has fallen short of many of stated goals. there several reasons government has not been able meet quota have more women in government. reasons include factors such inadequate government regulations, lack of implementation of existing policies, cultural factors, , inherent systemic bias towards men. many women want engage in politics discouraged because of age-related training eligibility criteria , retirement age 5 years earlier males, males having retirement age of 60 , women having retirement age of 55. workplace attitudes challenges women achieve aspiration of leadership positions. unlike males, women harassed more in occupations, , promotion dependent upon supervisors discretion , how feels gender promotion. there few women role models young women follow or inspired by. many women in vietnam not see becoming leaders because there lack of female leaders to. occurs because of messages expressed socially in media, home, , education.

currently, position of vice president of vietnam held Đặng thị ngọc thịnh, being highest office held woman in vietnam. however, data has pointed majority of positions in recent office terms being held men. example, during 2002 2007 term, of minister positions comprising government cabinet held men. these statistics have constituted many leaders advocating greater representation women in leader positions. implement goal, national strategy on gender equality implemented in 2011 through 2020.

human trafficking

since 1980s, women vietnam have become victims of kidnapping, bride-buying trade, , human trafficking , prostitution in china., taiwan, south korea, , in cases of human trafficking, prostitution , sexual slavery, cambodia. present-day struggle of vietnamese female victims of bride-brokers can summarized larger-than-life poem known tale of kieu, narrates story of female protagonist of vietnam purchased foreigners , violated, yet kept fighting against captors , offenders.

the main human rights issue in southeast asia human trafficking. according 1 study, southeast asia large source of human trafficking, many individuals fall victim human trafficking being sent australia. vietnam, other countries such cambodia, laos, , philippines, major source countries human trafficking. southeast asian countries preference boys on girls further tipping balance between sexes in region, skewed strong bias boys. trend has led increased trafficking of women. while many of victims part of human trafficking forced/kidnapped/enslaved, others lured in under assumption getting better job. according policy brief on human trafficking in southeast asia, although victims include girls, women, boys, , men, majority women. women tend more highly targeted traffickers due fact seeking opportunity in area of world limited economic opportunities available them. unskilled , poorly educated women commonly led human trafficking. according unodc report, numbers women , men in forced labor may skewed due fact few countries released numbers adult men. known women trafficked most. main causes of human trafficking in southeast asia universal factors such poverty , globalization. industrialization arguably factor of human trafficking. many scholars argue industrialization of booming economies, of thailand , singapore, created draw poor migrants seeking upward mobility , individuals wanting leave war torn countries.these migrants untapped resource in growing economies had exhausted cheap labor within borders. high supply of migrant workers seeking employment , high demand economy seeking cheap labor creates perfect combination human traffickers thrive. sex industry emerged in southeast asia in mid 20th century way women generate more income struggling migrants , locals trying support families or themselves. sex industries first catered military personnel on leave bases military installations began recede industry turned attention growing tourism. industry looked down upon today there still large underground market demanding traffickers.

between 2005 , 2009, 6,000 women, younger girls, found in human trafficking statistic. majority of women , girls trafficked china, 30% trafficked cambodia, , remaining 10% trafficked destinations across world.

vietnam women s union

members of vietnam women s union attending disaster preparedness workshop in can thao district, southern vietnam

in recent decades, vietnam has stressed importance of gender equality. address goal, vietnam women s union, organization founded in 1930 under vietnam communist party, has pursued advancement of women in many arenas; however, stress many aspects of confucian doctrine keeps male-dominated hierarchy in place. of 2000, membership has expanded 11 million, compromises 60% of female population in vietnam on age of 18. because of large membership, vietnam women s union has been regarded representative women in politics. therefore, vwu advises during policy-making of gender-related or women s issues. however, role has been disputed due shortcomings in promoting women s right effectively.

in 1980s, vietnam women’s union increased paid maternity leave , received promise asked before government implemented policies potentially affect welfare of women. however, increased maternity leave restored original length few years later. while there limits in vietnam women’s union prohibit gender change in areas, there not seem other organized civil society groups fighting women’s rights. 2 areas have seen little change throughout recent decades roles women play in family, motherhood, , human rights problems women traditionally face in region.

in 2001, vietnam women s union appointed head planning of new legislation, law on gender equality, set out equalize conditions between both genders. legislation included several stipulations, including laws pertaining retirement age both men , women. law in final legislation processes in 2006, going effect mid 2007.

criticism

their focus on confucian values uphold male-dominated hierarchy has received criticism. in numerous studies, vwu has been criticized lack of action against gender norms while placing emphasis on family structure. furthermore, while efforts have worked towards improving women s status, vwu faces criticism lack of advocacy towards women s power.