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

JOINT RESOLUTION

On Coordinating Actions to Protect the Environment for Sustainable Development

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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 Political Bureau on Environmental Protection during the Period of Accelerating 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 stipulating the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment;

To meet the urgent requirements for environmental protection in the current period, contributing to effectively implementing the environmental contents and targets set forth at the Ninth National Women's Congress, implementing the Women's Participation in Environmental Protection Program efficiently, gradually enhancing roles, and attracting more participation from all levels of women's unions and female members in the field of environmental protection, the Vietnam Women's Union and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment hereby jointly promulgate

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 Enhance knowledge among cadres, members, and female masses in the field of environmental protection to change outdated behaviors and customs that negatively impact the environment, fostering awareness of rational and economical resource usage, protecting and improving the environment, building 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 at 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 and environmental improvement, thereby enhancing living and working conditions for communities.

4. Contribute to innovating the content and methods of union member organization; consolidate and enhance the quality of grassroots women's union activities, while training, nurturing, and utilizing female cadres.

II- CONTENTS OF COORDINATED ACTIVITIES

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

2. Establish a team of volunteers and communicators from women's union cadres and relevant sectors who possess sufficient knowledge and skills to mobilize and engage women and communities 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 propose to the State for supplementation and amendment of mechanisms, policies, and laws related to environmental issues to ensure appropriateness.

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

III- ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Responsibilities of the Vietnam Women's Union:

a) Direct and implement the joint resolution effectively at all levels of women's unions nationwide. Mobilize active and extensive participation from various layers of women to implement the coordinated program effectively.

b) Coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, local environmental management agencies, and other relevant agencies to ensure the implementation of environmental protection contents in women's unions achieves desired results.

c) Organize diverse and rich forms of environmental protection education and communication 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 technology; 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 educational communication activities to enhance women's awareness and responsibility in environmental protection.

d) Continue to vigorously implement the "Green - Clean - Beautiful" movement and other appropriate activities based on local conditions, 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 at the Ninth National Women's Congress., together with six key programs of work proposed by the Ninth National Women's Congress.

e) Utilize support funds for poor and disadvantaged women's families to build household sanitation facilities and improve family livelihoods, increase income, and improve living environments.

f) Develop, 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 model effectiveness.

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

a) Direct provincial natural resources and environment departments and affiliated agencies to coordinate with all levels of women's unions in effectively implementing the joint resolution contents. Incorporate gender issues into programs and projects in the field of environmental protection.

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

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

d) Coordinate with relevant agencies in allocating annual funds from the environmental protection budget to support the environmental protection activities of the Vietnam Women's Union.

IV- IMPLEMENTATION

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 joint resolution for key cadres of the 64 provinces/cities and affiliated units.

b) Annually, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Vietnam Women's Union Central Committee will report on the results of implementing this joint resolution. Based on the achieved results and the content of cooperation, plans for implementation in the following year will be developed.

c) The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will 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 Vietnam Women's Union Central Committee will proactively and actively implement the contents of the cooperative program at all 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 will assist leadership in building annual plans and implementing them, while directing, guiding, supervising, urging, inspecting, and evaluating the effectiveness of activities implementing the joint resolution in provinces and cities nationwide.

2. For local levels:

a) Departments of Natural Resources and Environment and provincial/municipal women's associations shall base their plans on the content of the joint resolution and the annual implementation plan between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Vietnam Women's Union to develop plans suitable to local conditions.

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

c) Departments of Natural Resources and Environment shall provide professional guidance and technical support to build plans for implementing activities outlined in the annual cooperative program, while working with women's associations at all levels to inspect, supervise, and evaluate the results of implementing the joint resolution.

d) Departments of Natural Resources and Environment and provincial/municipal women's associations shall organize regular meetings every year to review and assess the implementation of the joint resolution, and report the situation of its implementation to the Vietnam Women's Union Central Committee and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

3. This Joint Resolution shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

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