Vice State President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh made the request during a meeting with a delegation of outstanding Vietnamese businesswomen who were announced as winners of the Golden Rose Cup 2016, honouring typical female entrepreneurs with great contributions to national socio-economic development over the past year.
Congratulating the outstanding businesswoman with the awards, the vice president acknowledged and praised the contributions of Vietnamese business people, especially female entrepreneurs in national socio-economic development who have contributed to improving the lives of local people.
She emphasised that women-owned businesses have appeared in many different industries with diversified types and sizes; the percentage of enterprises with very large contributed capital established by women has increased sharply; many businesswomen hold important positions in society. Not only doing good business, they are actively participating in social charity activities, contributing significantly to the process of poverty alleviation and reduction of gender inequality.
Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh (first line, in dark purple) urges female entrepreneurs to make further contribution to national economic development. (Credit: VNA)
The State leader pointed out that, the laws relating to enterprises, such as the Law on Support of Small and Medium Enterprises has provided specific regulations on enterprises owned by women and defined the priority mechanism for supporting enterprises employing a lot of female workers. Such documents show the high determination of the Party and the State in supporting and creating favourable conditions for enterprises and businesspeople to bring into full play their strengths with the goal that by 2020 the whole country will have 1 million enterprises, including 350,000 women-owned enterprises. Therefore, businesswomen need to be aware of the importance of achieving this goal and to work together for the common interest of the country.
Thinh expressed her belief that female entrepreneurs will continue to promote the role of a core force in pioneering, consulting and guiding women to start a business, thus enriching the country. For the immediate time, businessmen in general and businesswomen in particular should take advantage of Vietnam's hosting the 29th APEC Summit, thereby seeking opportunities for cooperation and boosting exports to the markets both inside and outside the APEC.
Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, Chairman of the Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs’ Council, affirmed that thanks to the attention and favourable conditions offered by the Party, State and Government, enterprises, especially female-owned ones, have overcome difficulties to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. However, female entrepreneurs face a range of obstacles in accessing finance, information, markets and new technologies, while in lack of knowledge, skills and opportunities to join business networks.
Tuyet also asked for facilitation from the Party, State and Government in stepping up institutional reform, removing barriers especially barriers related to gender, and creating a favourable environment to promote women-owned enterprises to develop both quantity and quality, thus contributing more to the country’s socio-economic development.
According to the schedule, the ceremony to award the title of Vietnam Business Woman 2016 and Golden Rose Cup will take place later today in Hanoi. Launched in 2006, this is a programme co-organised by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the Vietnam Women's Union to honor typical Vietnamese businesswomen who have contributed positively to the socio-economic development of the country and improving the living standards for labourers.
