>>> Media contest launched to promote gender equality in Vietnam
Launched in December last year by the Centre for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents (CSAGA), the UN Women and the Embassy of New Zealand, the contest was part of the 16 Days of Action to Eliminate All Forms of Violence and Discrimination against Women and Girls, aimed at encouraging journalists, youth and facebook users and bloggers to write about gender equality and elimination of violence against women and girls in Vietnam.
After more than a month of being launched, the organisers received more than 250 works of various genres, including reports, memoirs, blog posts, TV products and radio news covering current situation of inequality and violence against women and girls in Vietnam, as well as identifying gender inequality and remedial measures to eliminating gender stereotypes and prejudices in society.
Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Van Anh, Director of CSAGA, who is also member of the contest’s organisers, said that gender-based violence against women is a serious social problem in Vietnam as well as worldwide. It is the highest form of gender inequality, causing serious damage to the rights, life, health and prosperity of woman and severe damages to the national economy.
The root of the situation stems to gender inequalities and prejudicial conceptions of the role and position of men and women in society. The problem is feared to become more severe without help from society, and an effective method of preventing and eliminating violence against women is the media’s involvement to help raise public awareness about equality gender and gender-based violence.
Van Anh added that in just a short time, the contest received an enthusiastic response and broad participation from the authors of more than 250 works of diverse genres of high quality, which proves that the importance of the issue is becoming a genuine concern of the whole society.
Sharing the same point of view, New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam, Wendy Matthews, praised Vietnam's efforts in achieving advancements in gender equality, while highlighting the voice of the community to prevent gender violence and abuse against females as the matter is considered a sensitive issue even in developed countries.
More than 250 works submitted to the contest in just one month shortly after its launch is testament to these voices, the diplomat stressed. Wendy Matthews added that emotional stories on victims of gender-based violence, as well as voices condemning violence against women and the success stories of women’s empowerment through the contest would help add strength to the call for more involvement of the media, social networks and women themselves in the task of gender equality, contributing to enhancing the rights of women and their contributions to society.
At the ceremony, the organisers awarded prizes for winners in two categories. In the press category, the series of seven articles on children sexual abuse by journalist Hoang Xuan posted on the Tri thuc tre (Young Intellectuals) (aFamily.vn) received the first prize. The VTV6 crew won the second prize for their report on violence against girls.
In the social media category, author - writer Hoang Anh Tu won the first prize for his series of posts on his facebook page on the issue of gender equality. In addition, the organisers also presented a special pen award for positive contribution to gender equality for journalists Pham Trung Tuyen, deputy director of the VOV National Traffic Channel under Radio the Voice of Vietnam (VOV).
A play focusing on gender equality performed at the awards ceremony by students from the Humanities - Gender Equality Club under the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University – Hanoi. (Credit: NDO/Trung Hung)
