(MPI) - The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Vietnam Women's Union (VWU) in August 12 signed a cooperation programme on supporting women in entrepreneurship, business development, and collective economic development for the 2024-2027 period.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung and President of Vietnam Women's Union Ha Thi Nga signed a cooperation programme. Photo: MPI

Addressing the ceremony, MPI Minister Nguyen Chi Dung stated that women-owned enterprises and cooperatives play a crucial role in the overall development achievements of the business sector. Despite facing numerous challenges and obstacles in the global and domestic economy, female entrepreneurs have always been proactive and persevered in overcoming gender biases to enrich themselves, their families, and the community.

Minister Dung affirmed that his ministry will closely collaborate with the VWU to effectively implement programmes supporting innovation, digital transformation, smart manufacturing, and high-tech agriculture, and will direct its functional units to effectively deploy the cooperation programme.

Additionally, MPI will continue to enhance cooperation with international organisations to secure more resources for activities aimed at improving the capacity of women entrepreneurs, developing businesses, and fostering collective economic development.

VWU President Ha Thi Nga said that the programme is significant in supporting women in entrepreneurship, business development, and collective economic development, contributing significantly to the country’s sustainable development.

Through joint activities, the programme aims to enhance the organisational capacity of the VWU at all levels in implementing support tasks for women entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises owned by women; supporting women-led cooperatives, thereby creating more jobs for female workers, contributing to the successful achievement of goals in developing Vietnamese enterprises and entrepreneurs, collective economy, cooperatives, and gender equality in the economic, labor, and employment sectors.

The cooperation programme on supporting women in entrepreneurship, business development, and collective economic development between the MPI and the VWU for the period 2024-2027 includes four main contents.

Firstly, developing and proposing policies; promoting awareness among members and women about the Party's directives, state laws in supporting women's entrepreneurship, business development, and collective economic development.

Secondly, collaboratively implementing activities to support women in entrepreneurship and business development, focusing on supporting SMEs owned by women.

Thirdly, collaboratively working on the development of the collective economy and cooperatives managed by women, specifically training to enhance the capacity of cooperative members, leaders, and VWU officials at all levels regarding collective economic development and cooperatives; promoting the dissemination of the Cooperative Law 2023 and its guiding documents.

Fourthly, conducting research, monitoring, evaluating, reviewing, and summarizing activities under the cooperation programme and the functions and tasks of both parties. Enhancing information sharing, data exchange, and participation in research activities to address difficulties and issues related to mechanisms, policies, and other aspects supporting cooperatives managed by women, job creation for female workers, and policies supporting women's entrepreneurship, innovation, and capacity development./.

Bao Linh

Ministry of Planning and Investment