Women are the nation's backbone A Vietnamese woman smiles, holding a bunch of flowers presented by her lover in this file photo. International Women’s Day falls on Saturday this week. Tuoi Tre Saturday, March 8 in case you did not notice is International Women’s Day and is the perfect occasion to take your wife, mother or daughter out for a meal to thank them for being such an important part of your life. But the day is so much more than that. I would hope that when this occasion comes along, it encourages more people to learn more about why this day has become so important, rather than just an excuse for a night out on the town. International Women’s Day was born out of the fight for women’s rights in 1908 which continues to this day in some countries around the world. In comparison, men have it easy but women have to battle their whole lives just to be on a level playing field. In some nations they do not even have that chance. In Vietnam, the government has launched a strategy on gender equality with the aim of raising awareness, narrowing the gender gap and enhancing women’s position in society. Recently released figures are also very encouraging for Vietnamese women. Last year, the National Assembly extended the Labor Law to increase maternity leave from four to six months. Apparently 78 percent of Vietnamese women are now in the labor force and account for 48 percent of the nation’s workers with numbers on the rise. The literacy rate for women and girls is 92 percent with female students making up more than 50 percent of the total enrollments in higher education. Last year Vietnam ranked 3rd in ASEAN and 48th in the world in terms of gender equality and was among the five developing countries in Asia with the highest percentage of female Members of Parliament. Women’s rights seem to be a priority at the moment for Vietnam. Some businesses are also getting in on the act. I recently attended the Women’s Empowerment Journalism Awards ceremony downtown held by Diageo Vietnam. The awards honored a number of remarkable women who have shown great courage and strength with their stories being told by some of the nation’s top female journalists. The story about one woman from the northern mountainous area of Hoang Su Phi District in Ha Giang Province stood out in particular. Co Lao ethnic lady Vuong Thi Thao was part of an arranged marriage as a young girl with her parents receiving a strong buffalo as a wedding gift. Stuck in a life married to a child – her husband was just 11 – she had to perform hard labor and when her husband got a little older, he started to become abusive. She could see a life of misery ahead of her by providing babies, working hard on the farm and cooking alcohol, but instead of accepting it she fought back. She has been an inspiration to women in her local community and she has helped change the way people regard a woman’s role in society, and has helped the ethnic community move on from outdated customs. Education was her escape. Local people thought she was crazy as she applied to start first grade aged 20. After eight years she was a high school graduate. She was also the only educated Co Lao woman in Tung San Commune and was appointed vice chairman of the Tung San Commune Women’s Union. No women in her family had ever gone to school and here was Thao in 2002 being voted as a National Assembly deputy before she had graduated from high school. She knows that was just the beginning of her quest. She wants to deliver the wishes of the local people to the National Assembly and help residents understand state laws and policies. I think when we celebrate International Women’s Day, it is for people like Thao who has stood up to be counted, put her head above the parapet and said, “I will be educated.” With her new-found education and knowledge, did she pack up and leave her hometown to seek her fortune in a big city? She stayed put and is trying her best to ensure the local women in her commune are given a voice and the chance of education, which should be the right of any Vietnamese citizen, male or female. On a lighter note, many men say they “can’t live with them (women)…can’t live without them.” Well I certainly wholeheartedly agree with the second part of the quote. One lady in particular who sums up the strength and character of the Vietnamese woman is my wonderful wife. She is certainly one woman I could not live without. I will be sure to take her somewhere special on Saturday evening just to thank her for being her. Derek Milroy, Tuoitrenews