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Narrowing the Digital Divide for Women in Vietnam

Nguyen Thu Hue
Vietnet-ICT
Nguyen Thu Hue, founder and executive director of Vietnet-ICT, an NGO that promotes the use of technology among women in Vietnam.

(November 19, 2008) Internet usage has been increasing rapidly in dynamic Vietnam, with an estimated 20% of the population online. At the same time, women are playing a greater role in Vietnamese society, from government offices to corporate boardrooms. To help Vietnamese women to make the most of the Internet in their professional lives, Internews Network and VietNet-ICT launched a new program this month that will mentor women in how best to use Internet technologies.

“I can bring the voices of Internet users in the Asia Pacific region to help shape Internet policy,” said Nguyen Thu Hue, founder and executive director of Vietnet-ICT. “And I am very proud that Vietnet-ICT can contribute to the digital divide narrowing for Vietnam.”

Hue was recently appointed as Asia representative for the at-large advisory committee of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). She is the former country representative and legal specialist for the Global Internet Policy Initiative (GIPI) in Vietnam. She is also founder and director of the Center for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD).

Thirty women leaders of nongovernmental organizations in Vietnam welcomed the launch of the new program on November 19 at Bao Son Hotel in Hanoi.

“This is an innovative effort, as the program is designed to suit very much our nature of work with much field orientation. The mentors come to our office and patiently train us on the subject of our interest,” said Ho Thi Yen Thu, Vice Director of MCD.

VietNet Information Technology and Communication Center (VietNet-ICT) is a Vietnamese nongovernmental organization that works to narrow the digital divide for disadvantaged people in Vietnam and improve their access to information. Its goals are to:

  • Strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations who work closely with the poor by promoting effective use of information technology and communication services.
  • Improve the position of Vietnamese women by strengthening their capacity in using information technology and communication services.
  • Strengthen Vietnamese media capacity to empower civil society organizations, vulnerable groups and groups that promote sustainable development.
  • Participate actively in the process of formulating laws and policies related to information, technology and communication to promote sustainable development and equity.  

The building technology capacity program for Vietnamese women’s NGOs is funded by the US Department of State.

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