Participants at the conference on 25 years' implementation of the convention in Vietnam, co-organised by the Vietnam Research Centre for Human Rights (VRCHR) under the Ho Chi Minh National Institute of Politics and the UN Women's Development Fund, included managers and scientists from different Vietnamese and international organisations.

Speeches delivered at the conference agreed that the recent approval of the Law on Gender Equality by Vietnam's National Assembly was a big step and a demonstration of the country's efforts in improving its regulations on gender equality and eliminating all forms of discrimination against women.

Vietnam at present is in the top group of the world's developing countries for its achievements on hunger elimination and poverty alleviation, education and training, family planning and health care.

The country currently ranks first in Asia, second in the Asia-Pacific region and 18th in the world for women's representation in parliament, while the ratio of women participating in economic activities accounts for 83 percent, a high level compared to the rest of the world.

Vietnam, however, is still facing many difficulties in implementing the UN convention, and the role and status of women in the country did not match their ability and contributions to their families, the society and national development, remarked the delegates.