Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam will work closely with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), member states, and partners to ensure that no woman or girl is left behind, Ambassador Do Hung Viet, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, has said.
At the UN Women Executive Board’s second regular session, held in New York on September 9-10, the diplomat underlined the priority of narrowing the digital gap and promoting women’s leadership in the digital economy and artificial intelligence governance.
He stressed that with limited time left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, UN Women’s Strategic Plan for 2026–2028 will help renew global commitments to advancing gender equality and reaffirm the agency’s crucial role within the UN development system.
He emphasised that the implementation of the Strategic Plan should be development-oriented, respect national decision-making, and align with the priorities, capacities, and cultural-historical contexts of each country, while also remaining consistent with broader UN reform efforts.
In her opening remarks, UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous highlighted the agency’s pioneering role in advancing global gender equality, stressing that women and girls are not only beneficiaries of protection but also drivers of sustainable peace. She introduced UN Women’s Strategic Plan for 2026–2028, which focuses on three priorities: refining the legal framework for gender equality; reinforcing institutional accountability through enhanced resources and data; and expanding women’s leadership and access to opportunities. She noted that the plan will be implemented in parallel with the UN80 Reform Initiative, ensuring UN Women’s role is upheld while effectively adapting to global challenges and resource constraints.
On this occasion, the Vietnamese diplomat congratulated Bahous on her reappointment as Executive Director and thanked UN Women for its continued support to Vietnam over the years, most recently in assisting the development and adoption of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security in 2024./.
