Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Ninety-second session

Summary record of the 2181st meeting

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, at 3 p.m.

Chair:Ms. Haidar

Contents

Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Ninth periodic report of Viet Nam (continued)

The meeting was called to order at 3 p.m.

Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention (continued)

Ninth periodic report of Viet Nam (continued) (CEDAW/C/VNM/9; CEDAW/C/VNM/Q/9; CEDAW/C/VNM/RQ/9)

At the invitation of the Chair, the delegation of Viet Nam joined the meeting.

The Chair invited the delegation of Viet Nam to continue replying to Committee members’ questions.

Articles 7–9

A representative of Viet Nam said that the Law on Nationality provided that stateless persons who had resided in Viet Nam for at least 20 years could obtain Vietnamese citizenship. Between July 2009 and December 2012, 4,500 stateless persons had been granted Vietnamese citizenship. Marriage, divorce or the annulment of an unlawful marriage between a Vietnamese citizen and a foreign national did not affect the Vietnamese citizenship status of the parties involved or that of any minor children they might have. A law passed in 2025 amending the Law on Nationality had relaxed the conditions and simplified the procedures under which persons who had previously renounced or been deprived of Vietnamese citizenship could apply to reacquire it. Between January 2020 and July 2025, the naturalization of 16 stateless persons and the reacquisition of nationality by a further seven stateless persons had been approved.

To address practical issues resulting from irregular migration and unregistered marriages in border areas, Viet Nam had concluded agreements with countries such as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Cambodia on the potential issuance of identity, nationality and civil status documents to the persons concerned. Reports that birth certificates had been annulled in connection with religious matters were baseless and not supported by the facts. The Law on Children of 2016 provided that all children born in Viet Nam had the right to be registered at birth and to receive a birth certificate from the competent authorities, regardless of their parents’ nationality, and also established children’s right to nationality. Birth certificates were key civil status documents that enabled their holders to exercise other rights. Children who had been born to at least one Vietnamese parent and had not been registered elsewhere were entitled to birth registration if they came to reside in Viet Nam.

The Government had approved a national plan for the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration that provided for the development of a standardized questionnaire to identify stateless persons, persons with undetermined nationality, Vietnamese women who had married foreign nationals and renounced Vietnamese nationality but had not acquired another nationality and children of Vietnamese citizens and foreign nationals residing in Viet Nam. Local authorities had been instructed to identify and collect data on such persons. In certain humanitarian situations, mobile registration units had visited communities to register births and other civil status events, which had contributed to an increase in the birth registration rate. The law on identification adopted in 2023 provided that persons of Vietnamese origin whose nationality could not be determined and who had resided in the country for at least six months could receive identity cards that enabled them to conduct transactions and exercise their other rights as established in law. Stateless persons who were not of Vietnamese origin could be granted temporary or permanent residence cards pursuant to the law on foreigners’ entry into, exit from, transit through and residence in Viet Nam. The Government had taken measures to identify thousands of children of migrants in irregular situations and persons of undetermined nationality, registered the births of such children using a simplified procedure and granted them Vietnamese citizenship in accordance with the Law on Civil Status and the Law on Vietnamese Nationality. Between 2017 and 2024, more than 5,700 children of migrants in irregular situations had been registered and granted Vietnamese citizenship. More than 3,175 persons had received certificates confirming their nationality.

All persons in Viet Nam had access to healthcare, including emergency care and care in humanitarian situations, without discrimination. Under the law on health insurance, foreign nationals and stateless persons legally residing in the country could make either compulsory health insurance contributions under a labour contract or voluntary contributions. The Law to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons of 2024 established that stateless victims of trafficking who were residing permanently in Viet Nam, stateless persons undergoing victim identification procedures and children under the age of 18 years accompanying them were entitled to receive free legal aid.

A representative of Viet Nam said that the Government had consistently followed a policy of upholding the rights of all persons to a nationality and to freedom of religion and had made effective efforts to provide all persons with identity documents, including through online services. There were currently no cases in which Hmong Christian women or other persons belonging to ethnic minorities had been denied citizenship and, as a result, had become stateless or had otherwise been deprived of their rights; all such persons had been issued with identification numbers that enabled them to obtain access to administrative services. The Government would work with local authorities to ensure that any persons who had lost their identity documents during migration were issued with replacements and that any issues caused by duplicate data were resolved. Although there were some cases in which minor violations of freedom of religion had occurred as a result of intercultural conflict, those did not represent the manner in which the laws and regulations regarding nationality were generally applied and would be properly investigated.

A representative of Viet Nam said that, to assist the family and community integration of children of Vietnamese women who had returned to the country following divorce, such children were exempt from visa requirements for a period of five years and could hold temporary residence status and benefit from healthcare and other services during that time. Spouses of Vietnamese citizens enjoyed preferential treatment under national law.

Articles 10–14

Ms. Pia-Comella said that she would welcome updated, disaggregated statistics on the enrolment, retention and completion rates among girls and young women in secondary, vocational and higher education and an explanation as to how those data were informing policymaking and resource allocation. She wished to know what measures the State Party had taken to ensure that female students with disabilities had access to reasonable accommodation and inclusive education at all levels. It would be useful to know what targeted measures were in place to increase the participation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and technical and vocational education and training, and how the effectiveness of those measures was evaluated. She wondered what concrete steps had been taken to reduce the school dropout rate among girls, particularly those from ethnic minorities, rural communities and disadvantaged backgrounds, and what measurable results those efforts had produced to date. It would be useful to know what concrete steps were taken to promote education in the Khmer-Krom language. Lastly, she wished to know what policies and safeguards were in place to ensure that pregnant students, teenage mothers and married girls could continue or resume their studies without discrimination, stigmatization or financial barriers.

A representative of Viet Nam said that Viet Nam had adopted comprehensive legislation aimed at ensuring gender equality in education, for which the Constitution’s provisions on gender equality provided a strong foundation. The National Assembly made continuous efforts to prevent sex-based discrimination and disparities in access to education. Female public servants with children under the age of 3 years could receive government support to attend training courses, and support was also available to rural women. Children were provided with free primary and pre-primary education. Some 99.7% of children attended primary school, 89% of whom went on to secondary school. More than 99% of those children went on to high school, and approximately 99% of them graduated.

There was no discrimination against children, especially girls, in education. The Government had recently made significant efforts to ensure the right of pregnant girls to continue education, in accordance with national law. Such students benefited from flexible arrangements such as online and supplementary education and from mental health consultations. Procedures were also in place to identify students at risk of dropping out and provide them with support, including financial support, in coordination with their families and social welfare organizations. Awareness-raising campaigns were conducted with a view to creating a safer and friendlier school environment for disadvantaged students. The disparity between male and female students with respect to participation in STEM education was not the result of discrimination but reflected the tradition in Vietnamese culture of women working primarily in the education and healthcare sectors. To address that disparity, the Ministry of Education and Training had recently undertaken initiatives to increase the number of job opportunities in STEM fields and encourage the provision of scholarships and the organization of clubs and mentoring programmes for female students, including in coordination with businesses.

A representative of Viet Nam said that, following a recent policy announcement by the Politburo regarding investment in middle and high schools in border communes, the Government had thus far begun building 72 schools in such areas. A boarding school recently inaugurated by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam in Dien Bien Province had achieved a five-star rating.

Ms. Pia-Comella said that, if available, she would appreciate data on school enrolment and completion disaggregated by sex. She would be glad to receive an English-language copy of the policy on investment in schools.

Ms. Akizuki said that she would welcome up-to-date, sex-disaggregated data on the gender wage gap and an explanation as to how compliance with the provisions of the Labour Code regarding equal pay was monitored and enforced in practice. She wished to know what concrete measures were in place to increase women’s participation in higher-paid and decision-making positions, including in emerging sectors such as information and communications technology and artificial intelligence. It would be useful to know how the State Party assessed the impact of vocational training and programmes to promote women’s small and medium-sized enterprises on efforts to reduce occupational segregation and prevent the concentration of women in low-paid sectors.

Given reports that the percentage of women with voluntary insurance coverage was low, many women in informal employment could not afford voluntary insurance and, as of 2019, only about 30% of employed women were covered by maternity protection, she wondered what steps had been taken to ensure that women in the informal economy, including migrant and rural women and women belonging to ethnic minorities, had access to labour, maternity and social protection, in line with article 11 of the Convention. She wished to know how the State Party prevented and punished discrimination against women based on pregnancy and maternity, particularly in the private sector. She would welcome clarification as to how labour inspections and complaint mechanisms functioned in practice and data on inspections, complaints and penalties related to discrimination against women.

In the light of reports that, owing in part to lower lifetime earnings, greater involvement in informal work and career interruptions in relation to unpaid care, only 16% of women aged 65 years or more and less than 7% aged 80 years or more received pensions, compared with nearly 26% of men aged 80 years or more, she would appreciate data on differences between women and men with respect to pension coverage and benefit levels and wondered what measures were being taken to close the gender pension gap. It would be useful to know whether, to ensure women’s long-term economic security, the pension and social insurance system took account of interruptions to their careers and unpaid care work performed by them. She wondered within what timeline the State Party would fully harmonize retirement ages for women and men and how it assessed the impact of the remaining gap on gender equality.

A representative of Viet Nam said that measures taken to address the gender wage gap, which was small and the legacy of previous years, included the implementation of a strategy and policy on wage equality and the ratification of relevant conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Any employers found to have paid female employees less than their male counterparts for the same work faced appropriate penalties. The number of years of employment needed to qualify for a pension had been reduced from 25 to 15 and the retirement age had been increased, which would give women more time to accumulate sufficient years. Women had been encouraged to transition from jobs involving intensive manual labour, such as garment-making and the assembly of electronic goods, to higher-paid business and entrepreneurial roles. National programmes to develop rural areas, reduce poverty and achieve digital transformation included measures to create jobs for women and increase incomes. Surveys had indicated that incomes had gradually increased over recent years as a result of those efforts. Inspections to prevent gender-based discrimination in the workplace, forced labour and child labour were carried out at all levels. The Government kept a database with information on employment-related complaints received and inspections carried out; there had been no reports or findings relating to gender-based discrimination in recent years. A recently adopted law on employment would complement the Law on Social Insurance of 2024 in improving social insurance coverage for workers. The Government had adopted strategies to ensure that all citizens, including women from ethnic minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds, were covered by health insurance, and was exploring ways of eliminating all medical treatment fees.

Ms. Akizuki said that the State Party might consider taking measures adopted by other countries to increase the number of women in management roles, such as the use of public procurement procedures to offer incentives to private companies to employ more women in such positions.

Ms. Stott Despoja said that she would welcome further clarification on the content of information provided to the public, including through secondary schools, aimed at addressing worsening sex imbalances at birth; the forums used to deliver the information; and its observed impact on women and girls. She wondered what specific steps had been taken to ensure that Indigenous women and girls had access to such information in a language that they understood. It would be useful to know how the State Party intended to address barriers to access to sexual and reproductive services that affected women from ethnic minorities, women with limited education and teenagers in particular, including service costs, long distances to medical facilities, limited availability of psychological support, a lack of culturally appropriate services and a lack of privacy.

Given that there were reportedly gaps between policy and practice in efforts to ensure access to healthcare, particularly at the district and commune levels, she would like to receive the disaggregated data on access to healthcare that the Committee had requested previously and clarification as to how the State Party intended to ensure the implementation of legislation in that area and accurate data reporting in the future. It would be useful to receive updated information on steps taken to ensure that women and girls could obtain access to safe abortion and post-abortion services. She wondered whether the State Party was aware of the possibility, suggested by information received by the Committee, that the number of teenage pregnancies might be under-reported as a result of gender stereotypes and stigmatization.

A representative of Viet Nam said that Vietnamese law did not contain any provisions that were discriminatory with regard to access to healthcare services, and the Government prioritized efforts to ensure that such services were available to women from disadvantaged groups, including women from ethnic minorities and women living in remote areas. The availability of healthcare services for mothers had been ensured at the central and local levels, with efforts to improve service provision in a number of communes and disadvantaged areas; the State also ensured access to prenatal healthcare, including by investing in facilities for pregnant women in remote areas. Many poor and near poor women received significant support in the form of health insurance and access to reproductive health services; women from ethnic minorities and women living in border areas also received subsidized health insurance. The Government had been working to reduce or eliminate all out-of-pocket medical expenses. The Ministry of Health had issued guidelines on ensuring that mothers, children and older persons in villages had access to healthcare. Doctors had been made available at the local level.

Healthcare authorities would be required to provide consultation on contraception that respected women’s choices. Women with limited education, women from ethnic minorities and women from disadvantaged areas were provided with access to printed information on contraception through village health centres and to consultation on contraception at all levels with a view to ensuring their autonomy in obtaining access to contraception.

Discrimination in all its forms was prohibited in healthcare settings, and the Ministry of Health was expected to monitor access to treatment and address discrimination against vulnerable groups. Recent data indicated progress in women’s access to healthcare and a reduction in maternal mortality. A high proportion of pregnant women received medical check-ups, and women in at-risk groups had access to screening for breast and uterine cancer. The healthcare system thus supported women’s needs, including reproductive and sexual health needs, and ensured equal access for vulnerable and disadvantaged women.

Ms. Stott Despoja said that she would be grateful for more specific information on adolescent pregnancy.

Ms. Mu said that she wished to know what measures had been taken to further promote the development of women-owned businesses and women’s entrepreneurship and what efforts were made to ensure that women, including women without formal employment or collateral, enjoyed equal access to land, property, credit and financial services. She wondered what specific steps were being taken to reduce poverty and economic insecurity among women, in particular women living in rural areas, women from ethnic minority groups, Indigenous women and women heads of household. The delegation might indicate what measures had been taken to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care and domestic work and mitigate its impact on women’s economic participation and to ensure the effective access of women working in the informal economy to social protection benefits. It would be useful to receive data on women’s access to social and economic benefits, disaggregated by age, ethnicity and region, and learn how such data fed into policy reforms. Lastly, she wondered what measures were planned to further promote women’s empowerment and increase the representation of women in senior leadership positions and on corporate boards.

A representative of Viet Nam said that many measures had been adopted through such legislation as the Civil Code and the Labour Code to ensure that women, in particular women working in the informal sector, enjoyed equal access to land, property, credit and financial services. Under the current legal framework, both parties to a marriage were recognized and registered as owners of any land or other property acquired during the marriage. The Viet Nam Women’s Union and other associations had provided support to women, including training in financial and property management. Preferential credit policies were in place to support women farmers, and there were funds for cooperative development and small and medium-sized business development. Policies, projects and programmes had been implemented to support women entrepreneurs, including with regard to access to credit and markets, training and digital transformation. Women entrepreneurs whose projects fell within eligible categories, including projects relating to socioeconomic infrastructure, priority sectors or disadvantaged areas, could apply for a loan from the Vietnam Development Bank in accordance with the applicable regulations. A project supporting women’s entrepreneurship was being implemented for the period 2026–2035, building on a previous project that had recently concluded. The focus was on digital transformation, green transformation and the circular economy, innovation and sustainable production and business, and international integration and participation in supply chains. Within the framework of the National Digital Transformation Programme, Viet Nam supported women’s access to e-commerce and the digital economy.

A representative of Viet Nam said that measures were being taken to reduce the burden of unpaid care work on women. Early childhood education was being expanded, with priority given to rural areas, ethnic minority communities and sectors with a high concentration of women workers, and the Government was promoting the involvement of the private sector, social organizations and communities in childcare provision, while strengthening quality management and service standards in that context. Gender equality was being mainstreamed into social security and labour policies, including through provisions on maternity leave, childcare leave and other support measures. Men were being encouraged to share household responsibilities, with survey data showing that the gender gap in unpaid care work had narrowed since 2020.

A representative of Viet Nam said that targeted measures, including the provision of direct financial support, enhanced regulatory flexibility and digitalization of services, were being implemented to ensure that women working in the informal sector were not left behind. Under the Law on Social Insurance, the minimum contribution period for access to a pension had been reduced to 15 years, and eligibility for maternity benefits had been expanded beyond the formal sector to include voluntary social insurance participants.

The voluntary social insurance contributions of poor and near-poor households were subsidized, and households in mountainous areas or ethnic minority communities received support under national strategies. The family health insurance scheme had been designed as a flexible tool, with premiums progressively reduced for each additional family member. The Government provided financial support through loan packages aimed at addressing economic challenges and supporting household-level income-generating activities.

Viet Nam had implemented a range of measures to reduce poverty and income insecurity among women, in particular women from ethnic minority groups and women living in mountainous areas. Such issues were addressed under the country’s three national target programmes, in which a significant investment had been made. There were thousands of trusted addresses in the community for victims of domestic violence. Community communication groups had been established to challenge gender stereotypes, promote more equal sharing of domestic work and contribute to reducing multidimensional poverty. Together with local authorities, the Government had mobilized public resources and contributions from citizens and businesses to replace substandard housing, in particular housing damaged by typhoons in the southern region.

Viet Nam had launched two major projects to support women’s entrepreneurship, the first in 2017 and the second, with a specific focus on green transformation, the green economy and digital transformation, in 2026. The Government supported women-led cooperatives, helping them to move into higher-value-added activities, while also providing vocational training, legal support and technical assistance. The objective was to increase the proportion of businesses owned by women to 30 per cent by 2030. Women in Viet Nam already served on boards of directors and as leaders of major companies. Companies were required to consult a representative group of women employees prior to taking any decision that might affect their specific rights, including their rights relating to welfare, remuneration and childcare.

Ms. González Ferrer said that it would be useful to receive information on the measures taken to ensure equal access to land, property, credit and sustainable livelihoods for women living in rural areas and women from ethnic minority groups. Information on the budget and any targets in place to close gaps in access to health, decent employment, social protection and basic services, particularly in ethnic minority communities, would be welcome. In the specific case of Hmong communities, she wondered whether there was a plan to eradicate or reduce the prevalence of child marriage and to ensure effective access to health services, in particular sexual and reproductive health services. It would be useful to learn how the State Party was adopting an intersectional perspective, integrating gender and disability, to ensure the rights of women and girls with disabilities, including their rights to access to inclusive education with reasonable accommodation at all levels, accessible and non‑discriminatory sexual and reproductive health services and effective measures to prevent and address gender‑based violence.

She wished to know what measures had been taken to ensure that lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women enjoyed effective legal protection against discrimination, stigmatization and violence and non‑discriminatory access to healthcare, recognize and legally protect transgender women, safeguard the rights of intersex persons and improve data collection to facilitate the design and monitoring of effective public policies. She wondered what impact the efforts made to strengthen access to justice from a gender perspective had had on women deprived of their liberty, what complaint mechanisms were in place and whether they were effective and what standards were applied to ensure the provision of comprehensive healthcare, in particular sexual and reproductive healthcare, and prevent violence against women who had been deprived of their liberty.

A representative of Viet Nam said that many policies were being implemented to ensure equal rights before the law, in particular with regard to access to social services for ethnic minority groups and the preservation of their culture and traditions. The results achieved under the national target programmes to safeguard the rights of women from ethnic minority groups and women living in rural areas had been recognized by the international community. As part of a national target programme relating to socioeconomic development in rural and mountainous areas, a project was being carried out to address urgent gender-related issues. Women from ethnic minority groups were covered by existing representation mechanisms, and various legal instruments and policies required consultation with the population, including ethnic minority groups. Institutional feedback processes and the media ensured dialogue between the population and public authorities with a view to supporting the monitoring of efforts to uphold women’s rights, in particular the rights of women from ethnic minority groups.

Child marriage and adolescent pregnancy were being addressed through long-term, comprehensive interventions tailored to the cultural contexts of ethnic minority communities, and child marriage prevention had been integrated into broader socioeconomic development efforts. In that connection, a range of measures, including early identification and behaviour change initiatives, had been introduced, with boys and men included. Over the previous decade, the rate of child marriage among ethnic minority groups had fallen significantly. The rate of consanguineous marriage had also fallen significantly and had almost been eliminated in many provinces.

The Government encouraged children from ethnic minority communities, in particular girls, to attend school and had introduced measures to increase enrolment. Plans were in place to construct 100 boarding schools in an initial phase, as part of a programme ultimately envisaging a total of 248 schools. The Government was aiming to eliminate tuition fees at public schools, and targeted support measures would apply in relation to ethnic minority students. Classes had been organized to facilitate the learning of the languages of ethnic minority communities.

Viet Nam maintained a comprehensive database containing sex- and age-disaggregated data, informed in particular by the survey on the socioeconomic situation of 53 ethnic minority groups conducted every five years. Those and other official data provided an important basis for effective policy formulation, review and orientation. Such an approach helped to optimize State policies and resources for ethnic minority communities, while supporting efforts to address the root causes of gender inequality. With regard to health, a differentiated allocation approach was adopted, with enhanced budgetary resources directed towards reproductive health and other essential services for ethnic minority communities and populations living in mountainous areas. Women from those areas were supported to participate in agricultural and other sustainable livelihood activities. Green agriculture and digital transformation initiatives had improved women’s access to markets, promoting environmentally sustainable livelihoods, strengthening business skills and supporting women entrepreneurs living in rural areas.

A representative of Viet Nam said that, in recent years, measures had been taken to prevent discrimination against lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women. While same-sex marriage was not legally recognized, it was no longer prohibited by law, and the associated administrative penalties had been abolished. Members of same-sex couples were permitted to adopt children individually, although joint adoption by the couple was not recognized. The Law on Enforcement of Custody and Temporary Detention stipulated that homosexual and transgender detainees could be held separately from others. The Government was aiming to ensure that there was at least one facility specifically equipped to provide healthcare services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in each province and centrally governed city, with nationwide targets set for 2026 and 2030.

Since August 2022, when the Ministry of Health had issued guidelines stating that homosexuality was not a disease and therefore did not require treatment, there had been no reports of forced medical examinations or treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender persons. In addition, many public and private medical facilities, including specialized hospitals, had implemented inclusive practices for persons of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Such facilities provided a range of specialized services, including psychological counselling. Viet Nam provided services to prevent, mitigate and reduce HIV/AIDS transmission among transgender persons, including women.

With regard to intersex persons, medical reassignment was undertaken solely with a view to safeguarding the welfare of the person concerned. The right to gender reassignment had been enshrined in article 36 of the Civil Code. The Law on Children established the principle of the best interests of the child, which was emphasized in relation to intersex children. Any decisions taken in that context must therefore reflect not only the views of parents or guardians, but also medical considerations. A bill on gender transition was being discussed in detail by stakeholders.

Ms. Stott Despoja said that she would be grateful if the delegation could reassure the Committee that the State Party was fully aware of the need for data collection on, and a policy to address, the impact of climate change on women’s health and on pregnancy and newborn outcomes, particularly in the rural Mekong Delta areas.

Ms. Jarbussynova said that she would be grateful for information on the impact of climate change on women, in particular disadvantaged women.

Articles 15 and 16

Ms. Tisheva said that she wished to know what specific steps were being taken to address patriarchal social norms and to prevent and eliminate child marriage and forced marriage, in particular in ethnic minority and rural communities. Information on timelines and the State bodies responsible would be welcome. She wondered what measures were envisaged to ensure women’s effective access to divorce, child custody, maintenance and quality legal aid and how the State Party ensured that domestic violence against women and children was adequately taken into account in court decisions concerning child custody. It would be useful to learn how the State Party ensured, in practice, women’s equal rights to marital property, inheritance and economic resources, as well as their right to decide freely on the number and spacing of their children without pressure or interference.

She would be grateful if the delegation could indicate the measures being taken to address harmful gender stereotypes within the family, for example through education, awareness-raising and training, how legal reforms, including the new Population Law and the review and possible amendment of the Law on Marriage and Family, would serve the aim of addressing harmful social norms and which bodies were responsible for coordinating policies to counter gender stereotypes within the family. She wondered what measures had been taken or were planned to address the long-term effects of gender-biased sex selection practices and to prevent a continued imbalance in the sex ratio at birth.

A representative of Viet Nam said that, owing to traditional customs, there remained a gap between the statutory minimum age of marriage and its application in practice. To reduce child marriage among ethnic minority groups, Viet Nam had implemented a range of measures, including the preparation of written guidance and interventions in the education sector. The Law on Marriage and Family provided that both parents had equal responsibilities for the care and upbringing of their children after divorce. Where no agreement could be reached between the parents, the courts determined the custody arrangements on the basis of the best interests of the child.

The Civil Code stipulated that all individuals had equal rights to bequeath and inherit property under a will or by law. The first line of heirs consisted of the spouse, biological parents, adoptive parents, biological children and adoptive children of the deceased. Under the Law on Marriage and Family, spouses could agree on a property regime prior to marriage and, by mutual agreement, could divide common property during marriage or upon consensual divorce. Such arrangements were based on the principles of respect for individual autonomy and non-discrimination.

Ms. Tisheva said that she would appreciate a reply to her question on the long-term effects of gender-biased sex selection. Such imbalances could have serious long‑term consequences, including increased violence against women and trafficking.

The Chair said that, owing to lack of time, any pending replies could be submitted in writing.

A representative of Viet Nam said that the constructive dialogue was being held at a pivotal juncture, following the fourteenth National Congress of the Communist Party, which had set a strategic vision for national development grounded in social justice and progress and had reaffirmed the priority of developing women’s participation in the labour force and leadership. The Committee’s recommendations would be integrated into national action programmes linked to Party resolutions, a national action plan would be developed, and efforts would continue to be made to improve the legal framework. Viet Nam remained committed to equality, democracy and progress. With the Committee’s support, the recommendations received following the dialogue would be translated into tangible improvements.

The meeting rose at 5.10 p.m.