Project launched to protect women migrant workers’ rights

VGP – The UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) today launched a project on empowering Vietnamese Women Migrant Workers.

January 05, 2010 4:46 PM GMT+7

Deputy Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyễn Thanh Hoà announces the start of the project on empowering Vietnamese Women Migrant Workers, Hà Nội, January 5, 2010 – Photo: VGP/Thu Cúc

This is the first project on migrant workers to be conducted by a UN body and the Government of Việt Nam for 24 months (December 2009-December 2011).

It helps to protect legitimate rights of Vietnamese female guest workers, focusing on four goals: bettering knowledge about gender and issues relating to migrant labor in Việt Nam; improving policies with host countries where Vietnamese women migrant workers come; strengthen capability of agencies and organizations which can facilitate women and their families’ access to better services; and bettering women’s awareness.

Five beneficiaries of the project are female migrant workers; their families; policy-maker of the MOLISA and other agencies; providers of guest workers; and mass media.

At present, about 450,000 Vietnamese laborers are working in more than 40 countries and territories worldwide, in which women account for 25-30%.

By Xuân Hoàng