The contest on preventing and combating domestic violence organized by the Women's Union of Vinh Linh district attracted the participation and attention of many people - Photo: TCL

The area for implementing Project 8 in Vinh Linh district is 3 communes: Vinh O, Vinh Khe, Vinh Ha with 12/15 villages located in the ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Right from the beginning, the District Women's Union has coordinated with the Women's Unions of the communes to direct cadres, VVPNs and related components to seriously implement the project's regulations.

Every year, the District Women's Union closely follows the plans and specific instructions of the Provincial Women's Union, and decides on the allocation of funds by the District People's Committee to effectively implement the project's tasks. After 3 years of implementation, with the participation of the entire political system and the people, up to now, 5/12 villages in the project area have reached the NTM finish line.

In recent years, many national target programs for ethnic minority and mountainous areas as well as programs and projects of domestic and foreign organizations have contributed significantly to improving people's lives. However, many social problems such as early marriage, consanguineous marriage, domestic violence, gender prejudice, gender discrimination... still exist, hindering the development of women and children (W&C) here.

Based on that reality, from the beginning, the association at all levels determined to focus on key contents: propaganda, mobilization to change thinking and ways of doing things to contribute to eliminating prejudices and gender stereotypes in families and communities, eliminating bad customs; building and replicating models of changing thinking and ways of doing things to enhance economic power for women, promote gender equality (GEA) and solve urgent problems for women and girls; ensuring the voice and real participation of women and girls in socio-economic development activities of the community, monitoring and criticism; supporting women to participate in leadership in the political system, as well as equipping knowledge about GEA, skills to implement gender mainstreaming for officials in the political system, village elders, religious dignitaries and prestigious people in the community.

Up to now, the activities in Project 8 have gradually entered people's lives, creating significant changes in the awareness and actions of ethnic minorities here, especially women and children.

Participating in community intervention models such as “Community Communication Team”, “Community Trust Address”, “Leader of Change” Club or community communication and activities has become a habit, responsibility and even excitement of local people. Because each activity is a thread connecting the individual with the collective, an opportunity for each person to improve their understanding, awareness and responsibility towards the community where they live.

In Vinh O commune, Vinh Linh district, monthly community activities in villages and hamlets with the content of implementing Project 8 take place very excitingly. It is worth mentioning that the participants in these activities are not only women, but also men, with many interwoven contents and diverse propaganda methods. Such periodic activities also take place in Vinh Ha and Vinh Khe communes. Project 8 activities have become a movement in community life. Every period, people voluntarily come to the activities, regardless of gender or age.

Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Vinh O Commune, Ho Thi Thu, said: “Through community activities organized by the Women's Union at all levels, people know more about our community intervention models and actively participate in grassroots activities. Communication campaigns are not only a form of cultural and community activities, but the knowledge and information that people access also permeate their thoughts, gradually changing their perceptions and actions.

Up to now, people have become aware of the effectiveness and benefits of the project's activities, making them more interested, accompanying and joining hands to build increasingly rich content of activities. Not only that, participating in the Club also promotes awareness, consciousness and responsibility of each member of the Board of Directors, the concerns to convey timely, accurate and effective information to the people of each propagandist".

After more than 3 years of implementation, up to now, the District Women's Union has coordinated with local authorities and commune Women's Unions to establish and maintain the operation of 12 "Community Communication Team" clubs; 3 "Community Trusted Address" models in communes with 12 addresses in 12 villages; 3 "Leaders of Change" clubs in 3 schools.

In addition, the District Women's Union has organized many propaganda and training activities for people on changing their thinking and ways of doing things, eliminating bad customs, and promoting gender equality such as: Competition to find ideas and communication initiatives on preventing and combating child marriage in 2024; exchanges between community communication teams and trusted community addresses; communication campaigns on improving knowledge and skills for safety against natural disasters, responding to climate change and protecting the environment; exchanges and sharing of experiences in promoting the role of elderly women and young women in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in eliminating gender stereotypes; policy dialogue conference on implementing gender equality and supporting women in economic development; communication conference "Say no to school violence" in 2024 at Vinh O, Vinh Khe, Vinh Ha Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities...

Chairwoman of the Women's Union of Vinh Linh district, Nguyen Thi Tuyet, said: "The activities of Project 8 implemented in the district have received positive response and participation from the people. Thanks to training in IT application, many women have learned how to share the activities they participate in on social networking platforms, attracting the attention of more people, contributing to spreading the positive goals that the project brings. In the coming time, the Women's Union at all levels will continue to implement the activities of Project 8, bringing benefits to the people, contributing to promoting local socio-economic development."

Tran Cat Linh

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/du-an-8-buoc-dau-thay-doi-nep-nghi-cach-lam-cua-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-o-vinh-linh-192949.htm