THE GOVERNMENT

DECREES:

Article 1.- This Decree prescribes the responsibilities of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies attached to the Government and People’s Committees of various levels (hereinafter referred collectively to as State administrative agencies of various levels) for coordinating with one another and creating favorable conditions for Vietnam Women’s Union of various levels (hereinafter referred collectively to as the Women’s Union) to participate in the activities of State management over matters related to the rights and interests of women and children in accordance with law provisions.

Article 2.- The State administrative agencies of various levels shall have to coordinate with, and create conditions for, the Women’s Union of the same levels to participate in the State management activities related to women and children as follows:

1. To invite representatives of the Women’s Union of the same level to join discussions or send draft documents to the Women’s Union for its comments on the elaboration, amendment or supplementation of legal documents or the formulation or supplementation of programs and/or projects on socio-economic development, maintenance of political security, social order and safety, or policies related to women and children.

2. To invite representatives of the Women’s Union of the same level to join as official members of organizations advising State administrative agencies of the same levels (Councils, Committees, Steering Committees and Management Boards) on matters related to women and children such as: labor and employment, daily life, health, land, dwelling houses, commendation, discipline, training, fostering, recruitment, and appointment and dismissal of officials and employees holding leading or managerial posts.

3. Periodically, to coordinate with the Women’s Union of the same level in organizing meetings to gather opinions on the materialization of undertakings, laws and policies and detect acts of infringing upon rights and lawful and legitimate interests of women and children so as to handle them in time.

4. To invite representatives of the Women’s Union of the same level to join teams for inspecting matters related to the rights and interests of women and children. The inspected agencies and units shall have to supply necessary data and documents related to the inspection work.

Article 3.- The State administrative agencies of various levels shall have to create favorable conditions for the operation of the Women’s Union of all levels, for example, providing support in terms of funding and working conditions and facilities, conducting activities to raise funds for the Union, organizing production and service activities, and supporting women in settling social issues related to women’s advancement and equality in accordance with the State’s law and policies.

Article 4.- The schedules for annual working sessions between the State administrative agencies and the Women’s Union of various levels shall be as follows:

1. Biannually, leaders of the ministries, the ministerial-level agencies and the agencies attached to the Government shall hold working sessions with the Boards for Women’s Affairs under the Trade Unions of their respective agencies or branches on the implementation of regimes, policies as well as the latter’s proposals on issues related to the interests of women in their agencies or branches, which fall under their prescribed management competence.

2. Biannually, leaders of the provincial/municipal People’s Committees and quarterly, leaders of district- and commune-level People’s Committees shall hold working sessions with the Standing Committees of the Women’s Union of the same level on the operation of the Women’s Union, the implementation of laws, policies and the latter’s proposals on matters related to women and children; reviewing the implementation of this Decree and at the same time discussing and formulating plans for coordination in subsequent activities.

Article 5.- Inspection and assessment of the implementation of this Decree shall be periodically carried out as follows:

1. At the district and communal levels, preliminary reviews shall be organized once a year. Preliminary review reports of district level shall be sent to provincial-level People’s Committees and preliminary review reports of commune level shall be sent to district-level People’s Committees.

2. At the ministerial and provincial levels, preliminary reviews shall be organized once every two years and preliminary review reports shall be sent to the Ministry of the Interior.

3. Once every five years, the Ministry of the Interior shall coordinate with Vietnam Women’s Union in organizing the final reviews to assess the implementation of this Decree nationwide.

Article 6.- This Decree takes effect 15 days after it is published on the Official Gazette and replaces Decision No. 163/HDBT of October 19, 1988 of the Council of Ministers stipulating the responsibilities of administrations of various levels for ensuring the participation in the State management by Vietnam Women’s Union of all levels.

The Ministry of the Interior shall have to guide, inspect, sum up and report the implementation of this Decree to the Government.

Article 7.- The ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the heads of agencies attached to the Government and the presidents of the provincial/municipal People’s Committees shall have to implement this Decree.

On behalf of the Government
Prime Minister
PHAN VAN KHAI