Women’s Right to Vote in Vietnam
Women’s Day Vietnam / September 2, (1945)

Women’s Right to Vote in Vietnam

Introduction

Vietnam’s path to women’s suffrage represents a unique chapter in the global struggle for women’s political rights. Unlike many Western nations where women’s suffrage emerged from decades-long feminist movements, Vietnam’s story is interwoven with anti-colonial resistance, revolutionary politics, and nation-building efforts. The formal granting of universal suffrage to Vietnamese women occurred on September 2, 1945, making Vietnam one of the first countries in Asia to recognize women’s equal voting rights.

Historical Context: Pre-Colonial Vietnam

Traditional Vietnamese society was influenced by Confucian principles that emphasized hierarchical social relationships, including gender roles that generally subordinated women to men. However, Vietnamese women historically held stronger positions than their counterparts in neighboring Confucian societies:

  • The Trung Sisters (Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị) led a rebellion against Chinese domination in 40 CE
  • Vietnamese folklore and history celebrate numerous female figures who participated in governance and warfare
  • Vietnamese women often maintained significant economic roles, particularly in trade and agriculture
  • The indigenous Vietnamese code, Hồng Đức Law, provided women with relatively better legal protections regarding property rights and divorce than neighboring societies

Despite these relative advantages, formal political participation remained limited for both men and women prior to the colonial period.

The French Colonial Period (1887-1945)

The establishment of French Indochina in the late 19th century brought Western political concepts to Vietnam, though with extremely limited practical application for the colonized population:

  • Limited representative bodies were established, but with franchise restricted primarily to French citizens and naturalized elites
  • Both Vietnamese men and women were largely excluded from the political process
  • The colonial administration imposed aspects of French gender ideology, which sometimes conflicted with traditional Vietnamese gender roles
  • The 1922 formation of the first Indochinese Communist Party cell included discussions of women’s emancipation

During this period, nascent Vietnamese nationalist and revolutionary movements began incorporating women’s rights into their platforms, recognizing women’s participation as essential to anti-colonial resistance.

The August Revolution and Declaration of Independence

The pivotal moment for women’s suffrage in Vietnam came with the August Revolution of 1945. Following Japan’s surrender in World War II, the Việt Minh, led by Hồ Chí Minh, seized power in a popular uprising against both Japanese occupation and the planned return of French colonial rule.

On September 2, 1945, Hồ Chí Minh proclaimed the independence of Vietnam in Hanoi, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV). The declaration explicitly stated the principle of universal suffrage, granting voting rights to all citizens aged 18 and older, regardless of gender. This made September 2, 1945 the official date when Vietnamese women were first granted full voting rights.

The DRV’s first constitution, adopted on November 9, 1946, further codified these rights in Article 9, which stated: “All citizens of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, regardless of gender, ethnicity, class, religion, property status, education level, age from eighteen years and older, have the right to vote and stand for election.”

First Elections with Women’s Participation

The first nationwide elections in which Vietnamese women exercised their newly won voting rights were held on January 6, 1946, to elect the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. These elections were significant for several reasons:

  • They represented the first implementation of universal suffrage in Vietnam
  • Women participated both as voters and candidates
  • 10 women were elected to the 403-member National Assembly (approximately 2.5%)
  • Notable elected women included Nguyễn Thị Thập, who later became President of the Women’s Union

The elections took place despite challenging circumstances, including ongoing negotiations with French authorities and political tensions in various regions. Nevertheless, they established an important precedent for women’s political participation in Vietnam.

Vietnam in the Asian Context

Vietnam’s granting of women’s suffrage in 1945 positioned it among the earlier adopters in Asia:

  • Mongolia granted women’s suffrage in 1924
  • Thailand (then Siam) in 1932, though with many restrictions
  • Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) in 1931
  • Japan in 1945 (December), shortly after Vietnam
  • China in 1947, with the promulgation of the Constitution of the Republic of China
  • India in 1950, with the adoption of the Constitution of India

This relatively early adoption reflected the revolutionary government’s commitment to gender equality as part of its broader socialist program and nation-building efforts.

The Role of Women in the Revolution

Women’s suffrage in Vietnam was not granted in isolation but as part of a broader revolutionary program that emphasized women’s emancipation. The Vietnamese Communist Party had established the Vietnam Women’s Union in 1930, which mobilized women for both the anti-colonial struggle and social reform.

Key figures in the early women’s movement included:

Party documents from this period emphasized the “triple oppression” Vietnamese women faced—from feudal traditions, colonial exploitation, and class domination—and positioned women’s liberation as integral to national liberation.

North and South Vietnam Period (1954-1975)

Following the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was temporarily divided at the 17th parallel:

North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam)

  • Maintained women’s suffrage and promoted women’s participation in politics
  • Women served in government roles, particularly in areas related to social welfare, education, and health
  • Emphasized women’s economic participation and education
  • The 1959 Law on Marriage and Family further codified legal equality between men and women

South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam)

  • Also maintained women’s voting rights in its 1956 constitution
  • Women’s political participation was more limited but still present
  • Urban women’s organizations flourished, with varying political orientations
  • Some women held notable government positions, particularly in education and social services

Despite ideological differences, both governments formally maintained women’s suffrage, though with varying degrees of meaningful implementation.

Unified Vietnam (1975-Present)

Following the reunification of Vietnam in 1975, women’s political rights remained enshrined in law, with the 1980 and subsequent constitutions reaffirming equal rights for women. In contemporary Vietnam:

  • Women’s representation in the National Assembly has increased significantly (approximately 27% in the 2021-2026 term)
  • Vietnam has had women serve in high political offices, including as Vice President and as Chair of the National Assembly
  • Gender equality remains an official policy goal, with specific legislation addressing women’s rights
  • The Vietnam Women’s Union continues to function as a mass organization promoting women’s interests

However, observers note that meaningful representation at higher decision-making levels remains challenging, with women still underrepresented in the most powerful bodies like the Politburo.

Legacy and Significance

The granting of women’s suffrage on September 2, 1945, represents an important milestone in Vietnamese women’s history and reflects several key aspects of Vietnam’s political development:

  • The integration of women’s rights within a broader national liberation project
  • The influence of socialist ideology on gender equality measures in Vietnam
  • The significant role women played in Vietnam’s revolutionary struggles
  • The establishment of formal gender equality as a founding principle of the modern Vietnamese state

While challenges to full gender equality persist in contemporary Vietnam, the early adoption of women’s suffrage established an important legal foundation for women’s political participation that continues to influence Vietnamese society today.

Women’s Right to Vote in Vietnam

Vietnam’s declaration of women’s suffrage on September 2, 1945, positioned it as an early adopter in Asia and reflected the revolutionary government’s commitment to gender equality as part of its broader social and political program. This achievement came not through a separate women’s movement but as an integral component of Vietnam’s anti-colonial struggle and socialist revolution.

The history of women’s voting rights in Vietnam demonstrates how women’s political emancipation in Asia often followed different trajectories than in Western contexts, frequently intertwined with struggles for national sovereignty and modernization. From this foundation, Vietnamese women have continued to negotiate their political space and representation within the evolving social and political landscape of Vietnam.

Facts and figures

Leadership and political participation – [UN Women]
IPU-UN Women in politics map – [IPU]