Overcoming challenges, leaving a mark

The 2021–2025 period has been marked by many fluctuations. The heavy impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the pressures of socio-economic recovery, the faster-than-expected pace of digital transformation, and emerging issues concerning women and children have posed numerous challenges to the Women’s Union from provincial and grassroots levels.

Teams participate in the Gifting initiatives to the Union contest at the “Four-Yes Officers” Festival 2025, organised by the Dong Nai Provincial Women’s Union. Photo: Nga Son

With the motto of “turning challenges into opportunities”, the women’s unions at all levels across the province have taken the initiative to innovate, apply information technology, and implement practical models that inspire vibrant emulation movements, contributing to the fulfillment of the resolutions set by the previous congresses of the Women’s Unions of Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai.

Changes driven through emulation movements

The movement “Building Vietnamese Women in the New Era” was launched by the Vietnam Women’s Union Central Committee at the 13th National Women’s Congress for the 2022–2027 term. It aims to foster the image of modern Vietnamese women who are knowledgeable, virtuous, healthy, and responsible towards themselves, their families, society, and the nation.

Le Thi Thanh Loan, member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee, and President of the Provincial Women’s Union, shared that the movement has been a key focus since the beginning of the term. Alongside developing specific plans and guidance based on the four core criteria, the Provincial Women’s Union selected pilot units. It promoted the use of information technology to effectively reach members and women, linking the movement with the Union's campaigns, programs, and projects.

The “Four-Yes Officers Festival”, first launched in 2025, is a new model that includes segments such as the “Graceful and Elegant Officers” contest, “Gifting initiatives to the Union”, and physical activities. These serve as comprehensive assessments of the capabilities of union officers, following years of self-improvement, as outlined by the movement's criteria.

Hoang Lan Anh, Vice Chairwoman of the Ward VFF Committee and President of the Dong Xoai Ward Women's Union, stated that the ward has integrated the movement into several initiatives, including three "Zero-VND Kitchens" that prepare thousands of meals monthly for patients at Binh Phuoc General Hospital. The ward's "Loving Arms" Club has also mobilised resources to support nearly 500 disadvantaged individuals.

“Through this movement, I have witnessed positive changes in both awareness and actions of members and women. They now behave more gracefully, engage in lifelong learning, enhance their skills to keep pace with the times, and actively participate in community activities,” Lan Anh remarked.

Thanks to such creative efforts, the movement has gained enthusiastic support from women across the province. Thousands of collectives and individuals have been recognised and honoured by the Women’s Union at various levels, becoming inspiring examples for others to follow.

Promoting information technology in union activities

This is one of the three major breakthroughs identified and prioritised by the provincial Women’s Union for the 2021–2026 period.

According to Le Thi Thanh Loan, President of the Provincial Women’s Union, to implement this key breakthrough, the Union has developed an action plan and rolled it out across the entire system. To achieve tangible progress, all levels of the Union have proactively applied information technology in every aspect of their work, from management and administration to communication and public opinion understanding.

From 2021 to 2025, the Union implemented software tools for emulation, reward management, statistical reporting, and member databases. Communication efforts have been enhanced through social media platforms, especially the Zalo Official Account network, which connects provincial to grassroots units. This digital shift has created a professional working environment, enabling the rapid and efficient dissemination of information. This approach not only helps reduce costs but, more importantly, allows the Union to promptly grasp the thoughts and aspirations of its members, thereby guiding communication more effectively.

The Women's Union has not only focused on improving information technology knowledge and skills among its officers. Still, it has also intensified efforts to enhance digital capacity among members and women in general, ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital era. In July 2025, the Provincial Women’s Union launched the “Digital Literacy Campaign” across all levels of the organisation, engaging members and women alike. Following this initiative, over the past four months, local unions at commune and ward levels have established various digital models under names such as “Digital Union Base”, “Digital Sub-Union”, “Digital Family”, “1+1 Digital Guides”, and “Each Citizen – One Digital Identity”.

Huynh Thi Truc Giang, Vice Chairwoman of the Ward VFF Committee and President of the Trang Dai Ward Women's Union, stated that all 14 sub-unions in the ward have now established digital models, each comprising 10–20 members. They meet quarterly to exchange experiences with diverse content, focusing primarily on using applications such as VNeID and other digital tools that enhance daily life and ensure safe social media practices.

As a member of a Digital Sub-Union, Hoang Thi Hanh from Residential Group 3A, Trang Dai Ward, shared: “By joining the Digital Sub-Union, I have learned many new digital skills, especially how to use the VNeID application for administrative procedures and daily life.”

The application of information technology in the activities of the Women’s Union is an inevitable trend. It opens up numerous opportunities to innovate working methods, enhance the effectiveness of communication, mobilisation, and support for women, and generate a strong ripple effect within the community. This advancement enables the Women's Union to fulfill its mission successfully in the new phase of development.

Amidst a context of both opportunities and challenges, every achievement of the Women’s Union stands as clear evidence of the solidarity and tireless efforts of all levels of the organisation, its officers, members, and women across the province. These accomplishments serve as a "launchpad" for the Union to continue advancing, making its mark, and affirming its position in the new era.

Supporting women’s economic development and start-ups

In today’s context of integration and development, women not only play a vital role in their families but are also a key force in economic growth and innovation. With the aim of nurturing women’s self-reliance, potential, and creativity, the Women’s Union at all levels has implemented various programs to support women in economic development and start-up initiatives from 2021 to 2025.

According to Hoang Lan Anh, Vice Chairwoman of the Ward VFF Committee and President of the Dong Xoai Ward Women's Union, the Union has organized training sessions to improve entrepreneurial knowledge, mobilized funding support, and provided livelihood tools for its members and women. At the same time, it has established start-up models and stalls to promote women’s start-up products, while offering communication support and guidance for women in business registration and branding.

According to her, thanks to the support and companionship of the ward’s Women’s Union, many members and women in the locality have embraced entrepreneurship with determination and a strong desire to prosper, develop themselves, and affirm their role and position in society.

During 2021–2025 period, women’s unions across the province have met and even exceeded all 10 targets set by the Provincial Women’s Congress Resolution, with some indicators surpassing 900 percent.

According to the report of the Provincial Women's Union, in the period of 2021-2025, in line with the government’s Decision No. 939/QD-TTg on supporting women’s entrepreneurship (2017–2025) and Decision No. 01/QD-TTg on supporting cooperatives managed by women (up to 2030), the unions at all levels have assisted thousands of women in starting and developing businesses. They have also supported the establishment of six new enterprises, 17 cooperatives, and 99 women-led cooperative groups, while organizing hundreds of training courses to improve the capacity of women who want to start businesses, establish enterprises, and cooperatives.

Each year, the Provincial Women’s Union continues to organize major events, such as the Provincial Women's Start-up Festival and the Provincial Women's Startup and Innovation Competition. Additionally, it nominates local projects to participate in the National Women's Start-up Competition, organized by the Central Vietnam Women’s Union. Remarkably, following each competition, many women’s start-up projects have received support to refine their products to meet the standards of the One Commune, One Product (OCOP) program. Through these initiatives, the spirit of entrepreneurship among women has been strongly fostered, contributing to the development of a vibrant community of female entrepreneurs who assert their vital role and contributions to the socio-economic growth of both the locality and the nation.

By Nga Son - Translated by My Le, Thu Ha