Strengthening effective reintegration services network for migrant women and their children in Vietnam
Ms. Le Thi Thuy (center), Member of the Party Central Committee, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) and President of the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU); Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Huong (fourth from the right), Vice President of the VWU and delegates at the signing ceremony
On May 20, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) held a signing ceremony for a Record of Discussions with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and a Cooperation Agreement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This officially launched the new phase of the project titled "Strengthening effective reintegration services network for migrant women and their children in Vietnam”.
At the meeting, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, Vice President of the Central Committee of the Viet Nam's Fatherland Front and President of VWU Le Thi Thuy expressed her gratitude for the practical companionship and support from the Government of the Republic of Korea, KOICA, and IOM over the past years.
She affirmed that the VWU will cooperate with relevant partners, ministries and sectors from central to local levels. The VWU will fully mobilize the active participation of VWU at all levels, focusing on capacity building for officials in project-targeted provinces and cities. This ensures that all activities are implemented on the right target, deliver substantive results and create a sustainable, humane impact.
Ms. Le Thi Thuy (left) and Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Huong attended the signing ceremony
Affirming that the signing ceremony marking a meaningful milestone launching Phase II of the project supporting returning migrant women and children, Mr. Lee Byung Hwa, Country Director of KOICA in Vietnam, stated that the Korean Government will provide a USD 3.5 million non-refundable aid grant through KOICA. This funding aims to shift the project's focus from service delivery to system strengthening.
The new phase centers on three strategic pillars: enhancing the capacity of "One-Stop Service Offices" (OSSO) in four key provinces (Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Tri, and Can Tho); digitizing the case management system to build a referral network that "leaves no one behind"; and establishing a working group to elevate inclusive policies to national and international levels.
Mr. Lee Byung Hwa, Country Director of the KOICA Office in Vietnam, spoke at the ceremony
Ms. Kendra Rinas, Chief of Mission of IOM in Vietnam, expressed pride in the achievements of the people-centered OSSO model over the past years. IOM highly appreciates KOICA's resource allocation as well as the leadership and extensive grassroots network of the VWU in protecting vulnerable groups.
In this new phase, IOM commits to continuing its provision of specialized technical assistance to expand the project's scope to the Central region. This will optimize multi-dimensional integrated services to ensure safe, orderly migration processes and sustainable reintegration for women and children.
Ms. Kendra Rinas, Chief of Mission of IOM in Vietnam, spoke
Accordingly, the cooperation agreements signed this time are as a strategic step forward, establishing a solid legal framework and resource foundation for all parties to improve operational efficiency. The new phase of the project will run from 2026 to 2029, funded by the Korean Government through KOICA with specialized technical support from IOM. The project is dedicated to providing an integrated, multi-dimensional, and comprehensive support service system to optimize the well-being of migrant women and their families.
The VWU signed the Record of Discussions with KOICA
A unique and breakthrough feature of this phase lies in the significant expansion of the target beneficiaries. Instead of focusing on migrant women returning from marriage as in the previous phase, the project now extends its support to all migrant women, including those migrating for work, education or marriage. Furthermore, those who are only planning to migrate or have returned for any reason, along with their children, are now included in the scope of care and assistance. This strategic shift promises to open up greater social security opportunities, making the migration journey safer and the return process smoother.
The VWU signed the Cooperation Agreement with IOM in Vietnam
Following Vietnam's policy on merging certain provincial-level administrative units, the OSSO offices in Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Can Tho will continue to have their service quality strengthened. In parallel, the project will expand its operations by establishing a new site in Quang Tri province, a region characterized by significant population mobility. This expansion will not only strengthen the capacity of the referral network at all levels but also contribute to refining the institutional framework, enhancing the VWU's capacity to lead support initiatives at both national and international levels.
During the 2020–2024 period, the implementation of the project "Strengthening effective reintegration services network for migrant women and their children in Vietnam" concluded successfully with impressive results:
-5 "One-Stop Service Offices" (OSSO) were established and maintained operations;
-Over 3,000 returning migrant women received support in vocational training, education, employment, legal matters, counseling, and mental health services;
-Over 11,000 people received community-based communication counseling; 1,000 returning migrant women affected by Covid-19 received direct assistance in 2021, helping them quickly stabilize their lives, develop economically, better raise their children, reintegrate into the community and ensure long-term development.
