Vietnamese Culture & Women

The Vietnamese culture has assimilated many elements from different cultures. China and Confucianism, France and European values, the Soviet Union and the Communist mentality and the American influence in the last decades -- all have contributed to Vietnamese culture.

Cultural Values

• The Vietnamese people value family more than anything; they take pride in their name and love to learn. In general, Vietnamese respect their elders and the people who have higher positions in society (official authorities) and intellectuals (teachers). The Vietnamese have followed the Confucian ethical philosophy for centuries. For them, family members are to stick together in the same household, and they must obey the head of the family, the household provider, and respect his opinions.

Women's Roles

• Traditionally, Vietnamese women were brought up in a strict, disciplined manner. And since women traditionally received less formal education, they couldn't (and wouldn't) enter the job market. They got married and were in charge of "domestic" issues related to household chores and to childcare and their children's education. Divorce was legal, but women were often advised by family members to suffer in an unhappy marriage for the sake of their children.

Modern Times

• Even though equality between the sexes is officially recognized in today's Vietnam, women are still considered inferior to men. Women in Vietnam may dominate the business of petty trading, but they perform the lower level jobs. In modern Vietnam, low literacy rates and low education levels are still the rule in the female population. Women's role in public activities, administration and politics is still minor.