Online International Training course on" Sufficiency Economy in Microfinance for SMEs Development" for Colombo Plan Member Countries organized by Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) was held 2-13 November 2020 virtually. 16 participants from seven member countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Lao PDR, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam took part in this training program.

Cost-shared training course on Sustainable Forest Management for Poverty Reduction and Food Security in Thailand: Harmonizing Local People and Forests in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals under Colombo Plan was held from 16^th to 27^th August 2021. The Implementing Agency for this training program was the Forestry Foreign Affairs Office, Royal Forest Department while funding source came from Thailand International Cooperation Agency and the Colombo Plan. 40 participants from 13 member countries, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fiji, Iran, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam   took part in this training program.

The Knowledge Sharing Program On Enhancing the Development of Small and Medium Industry 2020 “The Impact of Industry 4.0 in Enhancing Development of Small and Medium Enterprises, especially during the Covid-19 Pandemic” in Collaboration between The Government of the Republic of Indonesia and The Colombo Plan Secretariat was held from 9 - 12 November 2020. 40 participants from seven Colombo Plan member countries Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines Vietnam took part in this virtual training program.

On October 9^th, 2020 Colombo Plan’s newly established partnership with Vietnam was instituted in a follow on conference in Hanoi, Vietnam titled “Gender Roles in the Modern Family” where Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Phan Kieu Thu, CP’s Secretary General, delivered a talk on the current status of gender roles and the challenges dealt within the family unit.  H.E. Ambassador Dr. Phan Kieu Thu, discussed the pivotal role of the modern family, debating the role of men and women and how they are socialized and depicted in different dimensions, influenced through cultural norms as well as demographically from region to region. Men and women are categorized either as “masculine” or “feminine”.  Within various societies, these socialized acts define the differences between male and female attributes. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that primarily gender roles and its socialization are nurtured first and foremost within the family culture.

H.E. Ambassador Dr. Phan Kieu Thu, Secretary General, stated, that “The Colombo Plan’s Gender Affairs Program in collaboration with the Vietnam Women’s Union have come together to underline and demonstrate our commitment to this issue and to discuss on the importance of how effectively we could enhance and develop equality and unity within the prevailing modern-day family.  We all can agree that the ever changing gender roles in our society influences the lifestyle of a modern family, particularly the children.”

Since the beginning of time, gender roles has portrayed a pivotal part in the make-up of society. Furthermore, the conference brought together students and faculty of the Gender Academy supported through Vietnam Women’s Union with contributions from Colombo Plan. Distinguished guests included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trần Quang Tiến – President, Vietnam Women’s Academy, Dr. Dương Kim Anh, the Vice President of Vietnam Women’s Academy, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vũ Mạnh Lợi - Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and Dr. Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thủy, Deputy Director of the Institute of Women’s Studies at the Vietnam Women’s’ Academy. The conference introduced both in person and online for those guests not able to travel to Hanoi. Papers and participation from Colombo Plan member nations, including Bangladesh, and Afghanistan among others were shared.  

The following themes, papers and discussions took place on the issue at hand:

Session 1: Empowering Women in the Family

• DETERMINANTS OF GENDER WAGE GAP UNDER GLOBALIZATION IN VIETNAM by  Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Nguyet - Vietnam Institute for Development Strategies, Ministry of Planning and Investment Vietnam;

• YOUNG PEOPLE’S PERCEPTION OF A WIFE’S ROLES IN VIETNAM  by Dr. Vũ Thị Thanh - Institute of Human Studies

Session 2: Performing Economic Functions in Modern Families

• REPOSITIONING WOMEN’S VOICES IN FAMILY FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF HOUSING ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES: MULTIPLE CASE STUDIES IN VIETNAM by MA. Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc By Viet Nam Institute for Development Strategies, Ministry of Planning and Investment Vietnam

• THE CURRENT ECONOMIC ROLE OF WOMEN MIGRANT WORKERS IN THE FAMILY by Dr. Lê Thị Thúy Ngà - Vietnam Trade Union University

Session 3: Gender roles in child care, education and protection

• THE ROLE OF FEMALE WORKERS IN INDUSTRIAL ZONE IN CHILD EDUCATION DURING THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoàng Thị Nga - Vietnam Trade Union University

• GENDER ROLE IN CHILD CARE, EDUCATION AND PROTECTION by Md. Nazmul Islam, Assistant Commissioner & Executive Magistrate, Govt. of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

• JAPANESE WORKING MOTHERS WITH HIGH CAREER POTENTIAL AND THEIR SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR CHILD – REARING  by Dr. Rie Okamura & Prof. Yasuko Sasaki, Ochanomizu University, Japan.

Session 4: Law and Policy Promoting Gender Equality in the Family

• COMPLETION OF THE LAW ON GENDER EQUALITY IN THE FAMILY by Master/ Senior Official Hà Thị Thanh Vân - Vice President, Vietnam Women’s Academy

• MEN AS AGENTS OF CHANGE IN PROMOTING HEALTHY MASCULINITY IN THE FAMILIES: LESSONS LEARNT FROM INDONESIA by Dr. Elisabeth Dewi & Teresa Retno Arsanti, Department of International Relations, Parahyangan Catholic University, Bandung – Indonesia

Distinguished participation on the theme of the conference was adopted and lectured by the following officials:

• Nguyễn Thị Doan, Former Vice President of Vietnam
• President of Vietnam Association for Study Promotion
• Phạm Thị Trân Châu, President of the Vietnam Women's Intellectual Association
• Bà Lê Thị Khánh Vân Vice President of the Vietnam Women's Intellectual Association
• Bà Nguyễn Thị Hồi, Former Director, General Secretary of the National Commission for UNESCO
• Bà Trần Bích Loan, Deputy Director of Gender Equality Department - Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs

REPRESENTATIVES
H.E Amb. Dr. Phan Kieu Thu	Secretary General, The Colombo Plan, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Nguyễn Thị Doan	Former Vice President of Vietnam President of Vietnam Association for Study Promotion
Phạm Thị Trân Châu	President of the Vietnam Women's Intellectual Association
Bà Lê Thị Khánh Vân	Vice President of the Vietnam Women's Intellectual Association
Bà Nguyễn Thị Hồi	Former Director, General Secretary of the National Commission for UNESCO
Bà Trần Bích Loan	Deputy Director of Gender Equality Department - Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs
Representative	Committee on Social Affairs of the National Assembly
Representative	Propaganda Department Central
Representative	Vietnam Association of Women Entrepreneurs
Bộ Văn hóa, TT	Family Department, Ministry of Culture and Information
Cục Trẻ em, Bộ LĐTB&XH	Department of Children, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs
Cục Việc làm, Bộ LĐTB&XH	Department of Employment, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs
President	Vietnam Women’s Union
Vice President	Vietnam Women’s Union
Officials	Vietnam Women’s Union
Lecturers, Staff	Vietnam Women’s Academy

Representative from 15 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Representative from International organization (online and offline) (40)

Representative	Sri Lanka Embassy in Vietnam
Vũ Phương Ly	UN Women
Lê Kim Dung	Care International
Representative	Oxfam
Representative	ActionAid Việt Nam
Representative	UNDP Việt Nam
Representative	CARD, the Philippines
Representative	Australian Volunteers International in Vietnam
Representative	Solidarity Center, AFL-CIO
Experts and staffs	The Colombo Plan
Elizabeth Dewi	Indonesia University
Professor John Winterdyk	Mount Royal University, Canada
Rie Okamura and Yasuko Sasaki	Ochanomizu University
Experts and lecturers	Korean Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education
Representative	JICA - Japan International Cooperation Agency in Vietnam
Lecturers	Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
Lecturers	Korean Women's Development Institute
Prof. Ramona Mihaila	Dimitrie Cantemir University, Rumania
Masako Tanaka	Faculty of Global Studies Sophia University Tokyo, JAPAN