On April 22, 2025, Oxfam in Vietnam kicked off the "Project on Supporting Women-led Green Initiatives" (PWG), a key component of the “Women-led Green Partnership Programme” which is funded by the European Union (EU).

Over the past week, the Project kick-off events were held in Hanoi, Bac Lieu, and Thua Thien Hue, attracting nearly 400 delegates from non-state organizations, social enterprises, government agencies, and local social organizations.

Vietnam remains highly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters. Women and girls are among the most affected, often facing unequal access to resources, finance, and decision-making spaces, while shouldering the responsibility of unpaid care work.

PWG aims to improve access of women in all their diversity to decent jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities in the green and circular economy. It will also enhance their participation in decision-making at both national and local levels, facilitating their influence over policies that affect their lives.

Ông Phạm Quang Tú phát biểu tại hội thảo khởi động Dự án PWG

"Women are a driving force in both the formal and informal labor markets. To truly lead and thrive in the green transition, which demands new skills and knowledge, they need active support and enabling conditions from all stakeholders." - shared Pham Quang Tu, Deputy National Director of Oxfam in Vietnam.

To this end, the PWG project is expected to award 65 sub-grants over a 54-month period from 2024 to 2029. Each grant, worth up to VND 1.65 billion (EUR 60,000), will support non-state actors and mass organizations in the provinces of Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Hue, Quang Nam, and Bac Lieu, with a duration of 12 to 18 months per grant. These grants will support initiatives that promote climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, responsible consumption and production practices, disaster preparedness, and gender equality.

The first funding round focuses on the theme: “Raising awareness and contributing to improve green livelihoods, accessing decent jobs and increasing participation, contributing to policy development in response to climate change, disaster risk reduction and environmental protection for women”.

PWG adopts a flexible and transparent funding mechanism that prioritizes grassroots initiatives, which are proposed and implemented directly by local social organizations based on the real needs of their communities. The identification of priority areas was carried out through extensive consultations with local authorities, the Women’s Union, and social organizations to ensure that selected initiatives reflect the needs, conditions, and potential of each province.

Chủ tịch HPN tỉnh Yên Bái phát biểu tại Hội thảo PWG

"The PWG project carries important human significance by promoting gender equality and reaffirming the vital role of women in the workforce, particularly in the green transition. For ethnic minority women, the need to access knowledge, sustainable production skills, finance, and networking opportunities is especially urgent." – Ms. Hoang Phuong Thuy, Vice President of the Women’s Union of Yen Bai Province, shared at the workshop.

PWG will provide networking and capacity-building support in key areas such as gender equality, climate resilience, and sustainable production. It also promotes public-private collaboration to improve access to finance for women-led MSMEs, creating green jobs and strengthening women’s role in development.

The PWG project is expected to benefit 7 to 10 million people indirectly by raising awareness and improving access to green employment opportunities.