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Vietnamese women are over-represented in the export sector and live in deteriorating conditions due to the current global economic crisis. The objective of this study is to assess and identify the gender-differentiated impacts of the current crisis in both economic and social development aspects. In addition, the paper analyses the gendered nature of the responses of the government and national institutions, and develops a set of recommendations and policy implications.

The author notes that Vietnamese female workers have faced loss of employment, reduction in income and consumption, decline in food quality, reduction in leisure time, difficulties in paying fees, and increases in overall debt. Furthermore, these crisis-affected female workers have moved from the formal to the informal sector and rely on informal sources.

The paper argues thinks that a central goal at the policy level should focus on pro-poor policies at both the macro and micro levels, as well as to focus more on vulnerable women. The following recommendations to the  government are made:

• in order to create jobs for both women and men, there should be investment in physical and social infrastructure and social reproduction
• appropriate government agencies should ensure that companies do not exploit the situation to further exploit female employees
• these agencies should also ensure that existing laws are applied fairly to women workers
• the burden of unpaid care work on women and girls should be reduced 
• women’s unions should be strengthened and active in society, and women’s participation in decision making processes should be promoted; this will lead to a positive correlation between economic development and gender equality
• gender should be integrated into budget processes
  
  

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