Australia promotes gender equality for stronger economies in Son La

The event was co-hosted by the Son La provincial People's Committee and the Australian Embassy in Viet Nam.

Addressing the ceremony, Cherie Anne Russell, Counsellor for Development Cooperation at the Australian Embassy in Viet Nam said, the program has been underway in Son La since 2017, with an aim to empower ethnic minority women by increasing their income, fostering their voices within families and communities, and enhancing their self-reliance.

In the second phase, the program looks to integrate more tourism activities and continues effective models from the first phase, such as developing flax, bamboo shoots, rice and others to sustain their success and then scale them up.

Over 15,000 women, with 70 percent being ethnic minorities, are expected to benefit from GREAT 2 Son La through access to services such as market information, agricultural promotion, quality input materials, finance and credit.

GREAT is Australia's most significant gender investment in Viet Nam, totaling AUD33.7 million.

The program works with businesses, non-governmental organizations, government and civil society partners to build more inclusive business and market systems within the agriculture and tourism sectors in Son La and Lao Cai provinces.

It also works to ensure that local women and ethnic minorities actively participate in and benefit from related economic activities and growth./.