Women’s Day Vietnam
Women’s Right to Vote in Vietnam
January 6, (1946)

Number of female heads of state to date: 0

Women’s right to vote in Vietnam has a significant historical background. The struggle for women’s suffrage in Vietnam can be traced back to the early 20th century when the country was still under French colonial rule.

During this time, Vietnamese women, inspired by the women’s suffrage movements in other parts of the world, began to organize and advocate for their rights. The Vietnam Nationalist Party (Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang) was at the forefront of this movement, and its members actively campaigned for women’s political participation.

In 1930, the Vietnamese National Assembly, under the leadership of the Viet Nam Quoc Dan Dang, passed a resolution stating that women had the right to vote and be elected. However, due to various political and social circumstances, the implementation of this resolution was delayed.

It wasn’t until 1946, after Vietnam gained independence from French colonial rule and established the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, that women’s suffrage was officially recognized. The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, adopted in 1946, granted women equal political rights, including the right to vote and run for office.

Since then, women in Vietnam have actively participated in the political process. The Vietnam Women’s Union, founded in 1930, has played a crucial role in promoting gender equality and women’s political empowerment. The union has been involved in raising awareness about women’s rights, providing education and training, and advocating for policies that support women’s participation in decision-making positions.

Today, women in Vietnam have the right to vote and hold public office on an equal basis with men. The country has made progress in increasing women’s representation in political and leadership roles. The National Assembly of Vietnam has set targets to have at least 35% of its members be women, and efforts are being made to achieve this goal.

Despite these advancements, challenges still remain in achieving full gender equality in Vietnam. Women continue to face barriers and discrimination in various aspects of their lives, including politics. However, the recognition of women’s right to vote has been a significant step forward in ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment in the country.


Wendy N. Duong, Gender Equality and Women’s Issues in Vietnam: The Vietnamese Woman—Warrior and Poet, 10 Pac. Rim L & Pol’y J. 191 (2001)

Abstract: Exploration of women’s issues in Vietnam strengthens the emerging voice of the “exotic other female” in contemporary international feminist discourse. Any women’s movement in Vietnam today must be cast as the revitalization of the Vietnamese woman’s collective cultural identity, rather than as a Western imported feminist doctrine. The Vietnamese woman’s collective cultural identity is based on the history and cultural folklores of Vietnam, including expressions of feminist ideas in law and literature, and a long history of warfare and collective sufferings, wherein women have been seen as martyrs, national treasures, and laborers in war and in peace.
Available at: digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wilj/vol10/iss2/2


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