Vietnamese Women

I love to see the participation of Vietnamese women in the work force; it is amazing to see younger and older women working in many different kinds of job. We have been in Hoi An (Central Coast) three days and I have been observing a lady who opens her little stand by the hotel at 6:30 am and leaves at 8:00 or 9:00 pm. She always has a big smile and she always tries to communicate with us, and offer us some of the French bread, brie cheese and other things that she is selling. I like to see the the woman at the restaurant who is smiling most of the time and inviting us to eat dinner or breakfast. This lady opens the restaurant at 6:00 am and closes at 10:00 pm. Then I love to see the women on the street carrying in their baskets vegetables, fish, meat, and other merchandise. Some women work at the river with tourists paddling the canoes and they seem to be happy. I see almost everyday women working in the rice paddies and taking care of their plants. Daily, I see women carrying their infants, toddlers and older children on their motorcycles.

Women are the economic moving force, yet some men do not treat them well. I am heartbroken to read in the Vietnamese English News paper accounts of women being abused by their husbands physically. Luckily,a law against domestic violence was adopted by the national assembly in 2007. and in Ha Noi in 2007, the United Nations Population Fund with help from Swiss Agency opened a women's shelter which at the beginning had only 43 women and 32 children, but now has about 400 women who are being helped. The shelter includes medical checkups, psychological counseling, vocational training support, job creation and part-time education. Domestic violence affects women from all different economic status. "The shelter is often accused of encouraging women to run away from their families", says Le Thi Thuy, director of the center. She responds to this by reminding people that the shelter is a last resort for emergencies where a victim's life, health, or dignity are in danger. According to the director, some women come directly from the hospital after being hurt by their spouses, and some women can not even walk when they seek refuge in the shelter, says a case manager. At least some women in Ha Noi are able to get some help at the center when they need it. If you would like to read the article here is the information. htt://vietnamnews.vietnamnews.vnanet.vn
Vietnam News: The National English Language Daily
Friday March 6, 2009 (page 4)

It was a pleasure to be here for International Women's Day,(March 8); in most places that I went women tried to communicate that it was a special day. There were many people selling flowers on the streets and you could feel the excitement. I saw quite a few men buying flowers for women in their family probably or girlfriends and boyfriends. This morning we met a German girl who spent some time with a family for Women's day. She told us that they had many different dishes and they were playing games to celebrate women's day.It seems that many people celebrate International Women's day here.

I know that we women have to work hard to change our status in the world especially in underdeveloped countries. It is horrible the abuse that happens in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America and some other parts of the world.