The document summarizes gender issues related to solid waste management in Vietnam. It notes that women make up over 50% of the population and labor force in Vietnam. They are heavily involved in waste generating activities and informal waste management. Many work in hazardous industries that expose them to occupational health risks. As the primary caregivers, women are also responsible for household waste management but often lack information on proper methods. Their work in waste management is usually low-paid despite being essential. Cultural norms also contribute to inequalities faced by women in the solid waste sector.

1. Regional Training on Gender Equality in
UEM
REGIONAL TRAINING ON GENDER EQUALITY IN UEM
College of Social Work and Community Development
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, DILIMAN
GENDER AND SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT IN VIET NAM
Presented by:
Luu Duc Cuong
Centre for Reseach and Planning on Urban and Rural Environment
Viet Nam National Institute for Urban and Rural Planning
Quezon City, the Philippines
28-30 March 2005
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OVERVIEW OF GENDER AND
DEVELOPMENT IN VIET NAM
There have been many female heroes in the history of Viet
Nam. The earliest female hero recorded was in the year 43 A.D.
1,000 years of Chinese Colonization significantly influenced the the
cultural and social development of Viet Nam: Confucianism
became the formal thinking mainstream of the feudal system,
which was characterized by “respect men and despise women” women”
and by three subjections of a woman “daughter to her father, wife
to her husband, widow to her son”
son”
Until the XV century, for the first time in history, the right of
of
women was given in the Law of the State, which promulgated that
women have the equality with men in inheriting properties, can
claim for divorce, and are protected from violence.
Early XX century, during French Colonization, most women had
to work very hard, lived in poor conditions, and were illiterate
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2. Regional Training on Gender Equality in
UEM
OVERVIEW OF GENDER AND
DEVELOPMENT IN VIET NAM (continued)
In 1930, the Viet Nam Women’s Union (WU) was founded, which
Women’
currently has 11 million members and 12,000 branches.
After independence, in 1946, the fist Constitution of Viet Nam
was promulgated explicitly determining the equality of women with
with
men in all areas.
Subsequent (amended) constitutions in 1959, 1980, and 1992
provided more details on the right and the role of women in the
modern society emphasizing that achieving gender equality is one
of the main tasks of the country.
In 1981, the National Committee for the Decade of Vietnamese
Women was founded and chaired by the Chairwoman of WM
In 1993, the National Committee for the Progress of Vietnamese
Women was founded and chaired by the Chairwoman of WM.
In 1997, the National Act Plan for the Progress of Vietnamese
Women was approved by the Government
In 2002, the National Strategy for the Progress of Vietnamese
Women up to 2010 was approved by the Government
QUICK FACTS ABOUT WOMAN
PARTICIPATION IN THE ECONOMY
50.8% of population is female
50.6% of labor force is female
Woman Participation in Some Sectors
Sector Percentage of Female Labor
(%)
Education 70.1
Agriculture-Forestry-Aquaculture
Agriculture- Forestry- 65
Public Health 59.2
Trading Sevices 58.9
Finance 55.2
International Organizations 52.5
Source: Ngo Thi Tam, 2004
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3. Regional Training on Gender Equality in
UEM
QUICK FACTS ABOUT WOMAN
PARTICIPATION IN THE ECONOMY
(continued)
Woman Participation in the National Assembly’s Committees
Committee Percentage of Female
Delegate (%)
Culture and Education 40.1
Ethnic Groups 43.6
Social Issues 40.1
Legal Issues 11.8
Foreign Affair 17.6
Science-Technology-Environment
Science- Technology- 19.4
Defense and Security 0
Economic and Budget 12.5
Source: National Committee for the Progress of Women, 2002
QUICK FACTS ABOUT WOMAN
PARTICIPATION IN THE ECONOMY
(continued)
Woman Participation in the People’s Council at Different Levels
Term 1994-1999
1994- 1999-2004
1999-
Level (%) (%)
Province 20.4 21.05
District 18.09 20.99
Commune 14.39 16.61
Source: Ministry of the Interior, 2002
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4. Regional Training on Gender Equality in
UEM
GENDER AND SWM IN VIET NAM
Issues and Concerns
Total amount of SW generated in Viet Nam: 49,134 tons/day, of which:
which:
- Industrial waste: 26,877 tons/day
- Residential waste: 21,828 tons/day
- Hospital waste: 429 tons/day
Urban Environmental Services Company (URENCO) is the
organization responsible for waste collection and treatment at the
the
municipalities. URENCOs have 60-80% female labor.
60-
Women are involved in most waste-generated activities (e.g.,
waste-
manufacturing, trading, office work, housework).
The percentage of female labor in the informal sector is very high
high
Women participate in many social activities relating to environmental
environmental
protection such as “green-clean-nice” movement, which has been
green- clean- nice”
initiated at the commune level and whose main idea has been involving
involving
women to the 3-R principle: reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.
3-
Issues and Concerns (continued)
o Many industries generating a large amount of hazardous
industrial waste have a high rate of femal labor:
- Textile industry: 70%
- Pharmaceutical industry: 60%
- Chemical industry: 50%
- Electronic industry: 75%
o Most women working for these hazardous industries have
limited education and therefore they have low position working
with simple, basic skill. This increases the risk of direct
exposure to the hazardous waste.
o As consequences, women working for the industries have all
kinds of diseases, including respiratory, skin, occupational deaf,
deaf,
and especially woman diseases.
o 100% women in Viet Nam do housework and therefore they
involve in household waste treatment at a certain extent,
including collection, source separation, reuse, and recycling.
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5. Regional Training on Gender Equality in
UEM
Issues and Concerns (continued)
o 70% of labor force in hospitals is female. This poses a high risk
risk
of hazardous hospital waste to the women working in this area
and to the community if they do not know proper methods of
hospital waste treatment.
o Women are responsible for most agricultural work in rural areas.
Since they have limited access to information sources, many of
them are not aware of the risk of hazardous chemicals
remaining in pesticide packaging.
o Women have the primary responsibility for waste management,
not only at the household level, but also at the community level.
level.
Although low paid, they secure prefessions of street sweeping
and waste collection by handcarts.
o The presence of women in the informal recycling sector in
Vietnam is the region’s highest (66% compared to 38% in
region’
Phnom Penh, 52% in Bangkok, 46% in Wuhan, 50% in
Wuhan,
Bangalore, etc.)
Issues and Concerns (continued)
o Men dominate higher paying professions not only in the informal
sector such as dealers but also in the formal sector such as
truck drivers and managers although in many cases women
prove to be more careful and more reliable workers.
o Men earn more as waste pickers at dumps because they are
more likeky to work at night, when most of the waste arrives and
most women stay at home to take care of their children and/or
their husband!!.
o The majority of waste pickers at dumps is women and children.
One of the reasons is the “feminization of poverty”
poverty”
o “Gender rights” only allow women to approach less valuable
rights”
recyclable materials at less convenient places.
o Women are respected with cleaning works at public places but
at the same time they are despised because of those works.
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6. Regional Training on Gender Equality in
UEM
THANK YOU!
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