Nguyen Thanh Tung, deputy head of the Workers’ Management Division under the Department of Overseas Workers’ Management, was speaking at a seminar entitled “Empowering Vietnamese women migrant workers” in Ho Chi Minh City on November 14-15.

This is part of activities to increase the protection of legitimate rights of Vietnamese female migrant workers, he said.

Relevant agencies and local authorities should strictly deal with labour exporters who have failed to protect the rights of Vietnamese workers, including female ones. 

According to Cao Thi Hong Van, head of a committee to support women in economic development under the Vietnam Women’s Union, Vietnamese women face many challenges, including family breakdown, low spirit and pressure of sending money home to pay debts while they work abroad. 

In addition, other challenges include language, culture and climate differences, work abuse and the risk of human trafficking. 

About 500,000 Vietnamese workers, including 251,000 females, are working in over 40 countries and territories and send home US$1.7 billion every year. 

Taiwan receives the highest number of Vietnamese women workers (61 percent of the total), followed by Malaysia (20.9 percent) and the Republic of Korea (4.4 percent).

VNA