Socially useful productive work activities

/ April 3, 2020

Hanoi’s vital transport projects suspended to curb Covid-19 spread

The Hanoitimes - Vital transport projects in Hanoi have been suspended until April 15 with a view to curbing mass gatherings and preventing Covid-19 from spreading. Construction of Hanoi's vital transport projects, including the Nhon - Hanoi Station sky train and the viaduct of Ring Road 2, has been temporarily stopped following the government directive on enhancing social distancing, VnExpress reported. Those works have been suspended until April 15 with a view to curbing mass gatherings and containing the Covid-19 pandemic. A section of the Nhon - Hanoi Station metro project on Kim Ma Street on April 2. Photo: VNE Currently, no workers are seen on the construction site of the Nhon - Hanoi Station sky train but only a dozen of machines which are gathered in one place and covered. Before Hanoi entered social distancing, around a thousand workers and experts were present at the site day and night. After 10 years, the project’s underground sections are still being dug. The Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board said that the resumption of works depends on the Covid-19 evolution. Similarly, the construction site of Viaduct of Ring Road 2 is empty as workers have 15 days off though the viaduct is expected to be inaugurated at the end of this year. Works on the Ring Road 3 viaduct project from Mai Dich overpass Thang Long bridge are still underway, however only a dozen of workers are seen on their site. Pham Anh Tu, head of Project Management Department 1 under Ministry of Transport, explained that this is a key project, and needs to be completed as the earnest time possible. However, workers have to comply with preventive measures such as body temperature check, hand sanitization and use of face masks. Some 90% of the project has been completed and it is expected to be inaugurated and opened to traffic by the year-end. As of April 3, Vietnam has recorded 233 Covid-19 patients, of which 75 have been cured and discharged from …

/ March 6, 2021

Share of female management in FDI highest among Vietnam economic sectors

The Hanoitimes - The number of Vietnamese women accounts for half of the labor force but less than one-fourth of overall management roles. The percentage of women in management in the foreign-direct investment (FDI) sector is a third of the number of people in leadership positions, the highest (34.1%) compared to the 29.7% and the 20.2% in state and domestic spheres, respectively, according to the latest report. Vietnam’s women account for half of the labor force but less than one-fourth of overall management roles. Photo: ILO A report “Gender and the labor market in Vietnam” by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Vietnam shows that there is still a gender gap in labor force participation in the country, especially in management level. Uneven distribution of family responsibilities in Vietnam’s society could be the reason behind. The elimination of gender gaps in education has not translated into a comparable narrowing of gender gaps in employment quality, earnings, or decision-making jobs. “They are much more likely to involve in household work than men, and spend twice as many hours on it,” said Valentina Barcucci, ILO Vietnam Labor Economist, lead author of the research. Women spent an average of 20.2 hours per week cleaning the house, washing clothes, cooking and shopping for the family, doing family care and childcare, whereas men spent only 10.7 hours. Close to one fifth of men did not spend any time on these activities at all. Chart: The portfolio of female management in total employment, by sector, 2019 As a result of the pandemic, total working hours dropped significantly in the second quarter of 2020, and recovered through the second half of the year. Women faced the most severe losses, according to the report. The total weekly hours worked by women in the second quarter of 2020 were only 88.8% of the total for the fourth quarter of 2019, compared to 91.2% for men. “Before the …

/ April 29, 2020

Hanoi to spend US$149 million to aid 1.4 million people hit by pandemic

The Hanoitimes - Hanoi’s authorities will try to disburse a part of the money to support people in need before April 30. Hanoi’s government is about to spend more than VND3,500 billion (US$149 million) to support some 1.4 million vulnerable people directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, local media quoted Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ngo Van Quy as saying on April 28. Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ngo Van Quy speaks at the conference. Photo: HNM Quy said Hanoi’s authorities will try to disburse a part of the money to support people in need before April 30, including revolutionary contributors, social beneficiaries and poor people. In this tranche, the support is estimated to benefit about 414,000 people with a total budget of over VND500 billion (US$21,279). For the speedy disbursement of the relief money, Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung has encouraged localities to use banking and online public services. On April 24, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed a decision to roll out a relief package worth VND62 trillion (US$2.7 billion) to support vulnerable people directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The package covers six beneficiary groups who would receive financial support in cash during three months starting April. The funding for the package would come from state and provincial budgets, including savings from regular expenditures for meetings, workshops, abroad working trips, festivals and others. In addition to direct financial support, workers are entitled for deferral in contribution for pensions and death gratuity funds in 12 months. Workers could submit application for financial support via postal services, email, and fax, among others without having to seek certification from local authorities. …