Joint Resolution No. 01/2005/NQLT-HPN-BTNMT on Coordinating Actions to Protect the Environment for Sustainable Development

JOINT RESOLUTION No. 01/2005/NQLT-HPN-BTNMT OF JANUARY 7, 2005 ON COOPERATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

On the basis of the Environmental Protection Law dated December 27, 1993;
Pursuant to Resolution No. 41-NQ/TW dated November 15, 2004 of the Politburo on Environmental Protection during the Period of Industrialization and Modernization of the Country;
Pursuant to the Charter stipulating the functions and tasks of the Vietnam Women's Union approved at the Ninth National Women's Congress on February 23, 2002;
Pursuant to Decree No. 91/2002/NĐ-CP dated November 11, 2002 of the Government on the Functions, Tasks, Authorities, and Organizational Structure of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment;
In order to meet the urgent requirements for environmental protection in the current stage, contributing to effectively implement the environmental targets set forth in the Ninth National Women's Congress Resolution, to implement the Women's Participation in Environmental Protection Program efficiently, and gradually enhance the role and attract more participation from all levels of women's unions and female members in environmental protection activities, the Vietnam Women's Union and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment hereby jointly issue this Joint Resolution on cooperation in environmental protection activities to promote sustainable development.

I. OBJECTIVES AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Enhance knowledge among cadres, members, and female masses in the field of environmental protection to change outdated behaviors and customs that negatively impact the environment, foster awareness of rational and thrifty use of resources, protect and improve the environment, build civilized lifestyles for sustainable, equitable, and progressive social development.

2. Vigorously promote communication, education, and mobilization activities to encourage women's participation in environmental protection, integrating environmental protection contents with key programs proposed by the Ninth National Women's Congress.

3. Vigorously develop and expand models of women's participation in environmental protection at all levels of women's unions, particularly focusing on areas with pressing environmental issues requiring prompt resolution, contributing to pollution prevention, environmental degradation control, and improvement of living and working environments for communities.

4. Contribute to innovating the content and methods of organizing female members and female masses; consolidate and improve the quality of activities of grassroots women's union organizations, while training, nurturing, and utilizing female cadres.

II. CONTENTS OF COORDINATED ACTIVITIES

1. Vigorously carry out information dissemination, education, and communication activities to equip cadres at all levels of women's unions with knowledge, techniques, and technologies related to environmental protection and rational management and utilization of natural resources. Organize the compilation and provision of educational materials on the environment suitable for women. Integrate environmental education content with gender education, health education, poverty reduction, and other women's union work to enhance the effectiveness of environmental education.

2. Build a team of volunteers and communicators from women's union cadres and relevant sectors who have sufficient knowledge and skills to mobilize and engage women and the community in environmental protection.

3. Develop models for nature conservation, environmental protection, and pollution prevention, transferring new technologies in the field of environmental protection with the participation of women.

4. Organize research projects on the role of women and gender factors in environmental protection; study and recommend to the State for supplementation and amendment of mechanisms, policies, and laws related to environmental issues to be appropriate.

5. Vigorously launch competitive movements and commendation activities among all levels of women's unions and female members to create a broad shift in awareness and behavior, as well as specific actions regarding environmental protection.

III. ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTIES

1. Responsibilities of the Vietnam Women's Union:

a) Direct and implement this Joint Resolution effectively at all levels of women's unions nationwide. Mobilize active and extensive participation from various layers of women to implement the cooperative program effectively.

b) Coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, local state agencies responsible for environmental protection, and other relevant agencies involved in environmental protection work to ensure the implementation of environmental protection activities at all levels of women's unions achieves desired results.

c) Organize diverse and rich forms of environmental protection communication and education activities through the union's mass media system at central, provincial, and sectoral levels; train cadres at all levels of women's unions, communicators, and volunteers on environmental protection knowledge, skills, techniques, and technologies; conduct campaigns to raise awareness about environmental protection; participate in National Clean Water and Sanitation Week (April 29 - May 6) and World Environment Day (June 5) annually; organize club activities for women's environmental protection and other communication and education activities aimed at enhancing women's awareness and responsibility in environmental protection.

d) Continue to vigorously implement the "Green - Clean - Beautiful" movement and other activities suitable to the conditions of each locality, linked to the "All People United to Build Civilized Rural Areas" movement initiated by the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the "Women Actively Studying, Working Creatively, Building Happy Families" movement, along with six key programs proposed by the Ninth National Women's Congress.

đ) Utilize support funds for poor and disadvantaged women's families to construct household sanitation facilities and engage in family economic activities, increase income, improve living standards, and improve living environments.

e) Establish, manage, and effectively implement models of women's environmental protection in different regions, organize experiences sharing to expand these models, regularly exchange information and share experiences and methods to enhance the effectiveness of these models.

2. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment:

a) Direct the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, agencies, and units under the Ministry to cooperate with women's associations at all levels to implement the contents of the Joint Resolution effectively. Integrate gender issues into programs and projects in the field of environmental protection.

b) Provide information and collaborate in developing training, communication, and educational materials on environmental protection for the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union.

c) Support technical expertise and other resources for women's associations at various levels to ensure current environmental protection requirements and tasks.

d) Coordinate with competent authorities in allocating annual funds from the state budget for environmental protection to support the environmental protection activities of the Vietnam Women's Union.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION:

1. For the central level:

a) The Vietnam Women's Union shall take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to organize and implement the dissemination of the Joint Resolution to key cadres of 64 provinces/cities and subordinate units.

b) Annually, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union shall submit reports evaluating the implementation results of this Joint Resolution. Based on the achieved results and the content of cooperation, plans for implementation in the following year shall be developed.

c) The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall guide the development of environmental protection contents of the Vietnam Women's Union according to the annual plan, while coordinating with the Central Women's Association to direct the implementation of activities within the cooperative program to ensure timely progress and effectiveness.

d) The Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union shall proactively and actively implement the contents of the cooperative program at various levels of women's associations, focusing on integrating with programs and projects related to environmental protection that the association is currently directing. Increase publicity through mass media to enhance the effectiveness of the cooperative program.

đ) The Propaganda Department of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Environmental Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall assist the leadership of both sides in building annual plans and implementing them, while directing, guiding, supervising, urging, inspecting, and evaluating the effectiveness of activities implementing the Joint Resolution of provinces and cities nationwide.

2. For local levels:

a) The Departments of Natural Resources and Environment and provincial/municipal women's associations shall base their implementation plans on the contents of the Joint Resolution and the annual implementation plan between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Vietnam Women's Union, adapting to the local situation and conditions.

b) Provincial/municipal women's associations shall concretize the content and form of activities suitable for different groups of women and regions, while proactively coordinating with the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment to direct the implementation of activities.

c) The Departments of Natural Resources and Environment shall provide professional and technical guidance, develop implementation plans for activities outlined in the annual cooperative program plan, and jointly with women's associations at various levels monitor, supervise, and evaluate the results of the implementation of the Joint Resolution.

d) The Departments of Natural Resources and Environment and provincial/municipal women's associations shall organize regular meetings every year to review and evaluate the implementation results of the Joint Resolution and report the implementation status of the Joint Resolution to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

3. This Joint Resolution shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

The Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; provincial/municipal women's associations and Departments of Natural Resources and Environment are responsible for enforcing this Resolution.

4. In case of difficulties or obstacles during implementation, women's associations and state management agencies at all levels regarding natural resources and environment shall promptly reflect these issues to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women's Union and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for consideration and resolution.