Supporting female entrepreneurs to increase business capacity in the digital environment

Many female-owned businesses have benefited from the SheTrades Vietnam project. (Source: Ministry of Industry and Trade)

Within the framework of SheTrades Hub Vietnam project cooperation between the Department of Trade Promotion, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the International Trade Center (ITC), an affiliated unit of the United Nations (UN) and World Trade Organization (WTO), on the afternoon of March 24, the two sides coordinated to organize a workshop on “Promoting Public-Private Cooperation to maximize export opportunities for Vietnamese female enterprises” to effectively support Vietnamese women. for female-owned businesses.

Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Vu Ba Phu – Director of the Trade Promotion Department said that currently, Vietnam has more than 70% of the female population participating in the labor force. With 26.5% of domestic businesses owned by female entrepreneurs, female-owned entrepreneurs are gradually playing an important role in the country’s economy.

Mr. Phu informed that the number of Vietnamese enterprises owned by women has increased rapidly in recent years, from 4% in 2009 to 21% in 2022 and now reaching the rate of about 25%.

“Especially, not only increasing in number, many female entrepreneurs today have achieved great achievements, been honored with many noble titles and international awards. In the context of complicated developments of the epidemic. Due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, many female-owned businesses are still standing, achieving high growth rates, inspiring younger generations, startups and other female entrepreneurs, “said Mr. Vu Ba Phu.

According to Mr. Vu Ba Phu, besides creating favorable mechanisms and policies for female entrepreneurs to develop, arousing passions and business aspirations, supporting capacity building and development orientation for women is the important factors that help women entrepreneurs become more confident and confident in their careers.

However, according to Mr. Phu, in Vietnam, out of 73% of the labor force are women, up to 69% work in unsatisfactory working conditions. Women-owned enterprises and female employees also face many challenges in terms of skills, experience and access to information for production and business.

To support female businesses, in November 2021, the Trade Promotion Agency and ITC officially established the SheTrades Project in Vietnam.

Since its launch in Vietnam, the project has successfully carried out 10 activities, including technical seminars (in person and online), trade fairs, capacity building activities, organizing… Business Planning contest for female entrepreneurs.

SheTrades Vietnam supports trade promotion for products in many fields such as agricultural products, handicrafts, food, textiles, services… SheTrades Vietnam follows the sustainable development orientation, each Steps to effectively support female entrepreneurs, especially business capacity in the digital environment.

“The Trade Promotion Agency, the SheTrades Project and ITC partners are committed to providing quality capacity building activities, effective guidance and advice to female-owned businesses. Hopefully in the future, The promotion of project activities will promote practical effectiveness and support businesses, especially female-owned businesses in trade promotion activities,” said Mr. Phu.

Ms. Anna Morie – SheTrades Initiative Manager, International Trade Center (ITC) said, the establishment of the project in Vietnam is very timely. With the participation of important organizations in Vietnam such as government agencies, banks, companies with large purchasing power, Vietnamese businesswomen are supported and equipped with knowledge to recover from the pandemic. .

“Women have always played a central role in our gender equality strategy and we need to make sure that women have the tools, are built with the capacity to use e-commerce tools, have access to finance to empower them. This is the area where the Trade Promotion Agency and the SheTrades Project can help,” emphasized Ms. Anna Morie.

The workshop discussed the following topics: how SheTrades Hub Vietnam and women-led businesses in Vietnam participate and benefit from activities such as business networking, finding partners , improve digital transformation capacity; how stakeholders can play a role at SheTrades Hub Vietnam to promote an enabling environment for Vietnamese female entrepreneurs in the marketplace; identify partnership opportunities to enhance impact and achieve effective growth; established an Advisory Group to carry out activities under the management of SheTrades Hub Vietnam.