Constructions of gender in Vietnam: In pursuit of the ‘Three Criteria’

Abstract

Vietnam has advanced far beyond most other developing countries and, indeed, surpasses many developed countries in adopting a legal framework based on gender equality, and in creating institutions and programmes to support women's advancement. Inegalitarian gender norms have also persisted, however. The Vietnam Women's Union promotes women's educational, political and economic advancement but simultaneously exhorts women to pay attention to their Confucian role of maintaining family hierarchy and harmony. This paper presents findings from qualitative research examining gender relations at the grassroots level in central Vietnam. It argues that the Vietnam Women's Union could support women more effectively by promoting greater diversity in gender norms and by initiating a public discussion to address the pressures women face in trying to achieve ideals that are often experienced as contradictory and unattainable.

Résumé

En ce qui concerne l'adoption d'un cadre légal basé sur l'égalité des genres et la création d'institutions et de programmes pour soutenir la promotion des femmes, le Viet Nam est allé bien plus loin que la plupart des autres pays en développement et les dépasse vraiment de beaucoup. Cependant, des normes de genre inégalitaires persistent. L'Union des Femmes du Viet Nam soutient la promotion éducative, politique et économique des femmes, mais simultanément, elle exhorte celles‐ci à rester sensibles à leur rôle confucéen de maintien de la hiérarchie et de l'harmonie familiales. Cet article présente les résultats d'une étude qualitative qui a examiné les rapports de genre dans des populations locales du centre du Viet Nam. Il avance que l'Union des Femmes du Viet Nam pourrait soutenir les femmes plus efficacement en faisant la promotion d'une plus grande diversité des normes de genre et en lançant un débat public sur les pressions auxquelles les femmes sont confrontées en tentant d'atteindre des idéaux, souvent vécus comme contradictoires et inaccessibles.

Resumen

Vietnam ha progresado mucho más que otros países en desarrollo y sin duda sobrepasa ya a muchos países desarrollados en la adopción de una estructura legal sobre la igualdad de sexos y en crear instituciones y programas para apoyar el progreso de las mujeres. Sin embargo, en las normas aún persisten las desigualdades sexuales. La Unión de Mujeres Vietnamitas fomenta el progreso educativo, político y económico de las mujeres pero a la vez exhorta a las mujeres a seguir el modelo confuciano en el que la mujer se ocupa de mantener la jerarquía y la armonía familiar. En este artículo mostramos los resultados de un estudio cualitativo en el que se examinan las relaciones entre sexos a un nivel básico en Vietnam central. Argumentamos que la Unión de Mujeres Vietnamitas podría apoyar mejor a las mujeres fomentando una mayor diversidad en las normas de género e iniciando una discusión pública para abordar las presiones a las que se enfrentan las mujeres para conseguir ideales que muchas veces parecen contradictorios e inalcanzables.

Keywords:

• Vietnam
• gender
• social inequality
• policy implementation

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Quach Thu Trang, Diana Santillan and Jenny Higgins for their contributions to this research project, and to Tine Gammeltoft and Renata Seidel for their helpful comments on earlier drafts. We are also indebted to Steve Lux for his guidance throughout the research process; the JSI Research and Training Institute for institutional support in the USA; the Central Vietnamese Youth Union; the Nghe An Provincial, District and commune Youth Unions, People's Committee, and the Party Branch; and the young couples who graciously participated in the study. We are deeply grateful to the Summit Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Moriah Fund, and the Rockefeller Foundation, who provided financial support for our work. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies or the authors' organizations.

Notes

1. Among the 78.5% of couples currently using any contraceptive method, condoms account for only 5.8%, and male sterilization for only 0.5%; another 14.3% practice withdrawal.

2. The Three Criteria Campaign was inaugurated at the 8th Congress of the Women's Union in 1997, together with a campaign among female public employees led by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour on ‘Good and State Work and Housework’ and a campaign called ‘Grandparents Live Exemplary [lives] and Grandchildren Live Dutifully’ run by the Fatherland Front (Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 1999: 1–4).