Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) Central Committee held a ceremony in Hanoi on October 16 to present the 2026 Vietnam Women’s Award and the second Nguyen Thi Dinh Award.
The event was organised in celebration of the 96th anniversary of the VWU and Vietnam Women’s Day (October 20).
The Vietnam Women’s Award is an annual initiative honouring Vietnamese women and collectives for outstanding talents and achievements across all social aspects.
Out of the 54 nominations, the organising committee decided to award five collectives and 12 individuals in the fields of scientific research, state management, corporate business, education, healthcare, the armed forces, culture, and sports.
Since its inception in 2002, the Vietnam Women’s Award has honoured 110 collectives and 218 individuals.
Meanwhile, the second Nguyen Thi Dinh Award, named after female general Nguyen Thi Dinh, recognised 32 exemplary full-time VWU officials out of 4,000 across all levels.
Congratulating the winners of the 2026 Vietnam Women’s Award and the second Nguyen Thi Dinh Award, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc emphasised that throughout the nation's history, Vietnamese women have consistently made vital, persistent, and significant contributions.
Today, women actively participate in almost all areas of social life, accounting for more than half of the population and nearly half of the workforce. Female deputies make up 30% of the National Assembly, and the rate of women-owned and managed businesses in Vietnam ranks among the highest globally.
These facts confirm that women are active agents, a crucial resource, and a key driver of national development, he noted, adding that caring for women extends beyond support and protection; it fundamentally means empowering them to realise their potential and contribute to the country.
Regarding the women's movement, he called for continued reforms of the VWU’s activities with a greater focus on professionalism, efficiency, and the grassroots level. Member satisfaction should serve as the benchmark for success while the VWU should address emerging issues promptly and better safeguard women’s legitimate rights and interests.
The Deputy PM urged Party committees, local authorities, ministries, and agencies to better resolve challenges facing women and build a supportive environment for their development. Besides, ministries and agencies should proactively remove bottlenecks within their jurisdiction, offering targeted support tailored to rural, mountainous, and remote women, those with disabilities, as well as female workers, intellectuals, and entrepreneurs.
They need to create opportunities for women’s substantive development and equality while effectively implementing mechanisms and policies on women and gender equality, thus ensuring women’s equal access to education, employment, capital, technology, and social welfare, he added.
The official called on every woman to remain confident in her capabilities, pursue continuous learning, master new technologies, and build a happy, progressive family. He expressed his belief that with their courage, intellect, and ambition, Vietnamese women will continue helping to shape a prosperous nation, driving fast and sustainable development in the new era.
On this occasion, the 2027 "Women’s Innovative Entrepreneurship: Elevating Vietnamese Brands" competition was launched under the theme: "Dual Transformation – A New Driver for Economic Growth".
The competition aims to foster women’s entrepreneurial and innovative spirit by identifying and honouring outstanding women-owned or managed business models and projects, thereby promoting science – technology adoption, digital transformation, green transformation, and the branding of Vietnamese products.
The activity is held within the framework of the Government's scheme on supporting women’s entrepreneurship for the 2026–2035 period (Project 2415), creating a dynamic ecosystem to connect women entrepreneurs with businesses, investors, experts, and support organisations. This initiative is expected to help expand their access to resources, improve production and business efficiency, and empower women’s active involvement in economic growth./.