On March 7 a forum was held in Hanoi for women entrepreneurs to meet, exchange experiences and seek ways to overcome difficulties and achieve sustainable development in the future.

The 2011 Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs’ Forum, hosted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), drew the participation of over 300 women leaders of domestic and foreign businesses.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai highly valued the important role of women entrepreneurs, saying that many woman-led businesses have overcome difficulties and recorded impressive achievements over the past years, especially during the economic crisis and recession.

According to the VCCI, women account for 20 percent of all the heads of businesses in Vietnam. The government’s 2011-2020 national strategy on gender equality has set a target of raising the rate of female entrepreneurs in the country to 30 percent by 2015 and 35 percent by 2020.

A VCCI leader said that most businesses managed by women are small and medium sized, and operate in areas that are important but vulnerable in the integration process, such as trade, service, consumer goods production and processing farm produce.

In the future, VCCI will organize similar events for women entrepreneurs to help them overcome the consequences of the economic crisis, he added.

(Vietnam Plus)