As Viet Nam enters a period of rapid population ageing and care needs continue to rise, the forum aims to open a new approach to developing the care economy as a driver of sustainable growth, job creation, and gender equality.
According to figures from the Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, by 2038 more than 20% of Viet Nam’s population is expected to be aged over 60, and demand for long-term care, healthcare, childcare, and support for vulnerable groups will continue to increase sharply.
In Viet Nam, women still undertake the majority of unpaid care work; an average of around three hours per day, nearly twice as much as men, according to the World Bank’s 2022 survey on time use in Viet Nam. This gap not only creates a “double burden” for women, but also reduces labour productivity, limits opportunities to participate in the labour market, and affects the quality of the workforce in the long term.
Speaking at the forum, Mai Thi Dieu Huyen, vice chairwoman in charge of the Viet Nam Women Entrepreneurs Council, said the care economy is emerging as a sector with significant growth potential. It can help create sustainable jobs, improve labour productivity, advance gender equality, and enhance business competitiveness. Promoting the care economy and scaling up family-friendly business models, she added, would strengthen women’s economic empowerment and help women have a stronger voice across all areas of life.
Caroline T. Nyamayemombe, UN Women representative in Viet Nam, also underlined the role of businesses in delivering quality, accessible care services, while ensuring working conditions and social protection for the care workforce, most of whom are women.
At the event, speakers from the Population Department under the Ministry of Health, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the International Labour Organization (ILO), provided an overall picture of population ageing and the development of health and long-term care systems. They also highlighted the potential for the care economy in Viet Nam, as well as opportunities for sustainable job creation and business development in this field.
Several businesses joined the discussions, sharing practical business models, innovation initiatives, and lessons learned in providing quality care services taking people as the centre and a view to sustainable development.
