Faced with shifting demographics and a changing digital landscape, the union has transitioned from traditional meetings to practical, community-driven models under the motto, "Wherever there are women, there are union activities."
Grassroots financial support and green initiatives
A primary driver behind the rising membership is the implementation of local models that yield tangible economic benefits for women.
In Xuan Hong Commune within Ninh Binh Province, under the leadership of Village 3 head Dang Thi Dao, the "Green Living Union Chapter" successfully guided members in sorting waste at the source while simultaneously driving local economic development. The initiative helped 44 women secure nearly VND3 billion in preferential loans for business production, successfully lifting 20 households out of poverty.
In addition to economic aid, head Dang Thi Dao mobilized hundreds of members to enroll in voluntary health insurance and join local sports and yoga clubs. These practical community benefits directly led to a 95.5 percent compliance rate for regional campaigns, including Xay dung gia dinh 5 khong, 3 sach (Building a family of 5 No's and 3 Cleans) and Xay dung nguoi phu nu Viet Nam thoi dai moi (Building the modern Vietnamese women).
This success is mirrored in Phu Tho and Bac Ninh Provinces, where similar lifestyle-oriented initiatives, such as Phu Tho's Bep xanh hanh phuc (Happy green kitchen) club and Bac Ninh's Gia dinh 5 co, 3 sach (Family of 5 Haves and 3 Cleans) model, have pushed membership enrollment past 90 percent across multiple local chapters.
Ho Chi Minh City leads digital re-engineering
Ho Chi Minh City has emerged as a pioneer in shifting women's union activities onto digital platforms to match the fast-paced urban lifestyle.
In Binh Tien Ward, the union established a special volunteer team to help people update their kowledge of digital while Binh Loi Trung Ward launched another program. Both initiatives actively assist local citizens in navigating online public administrative services and improving basic digital literacy.
Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union launched a dedicated mobile application called "AI Assistant - Companion of Ho Chi Minh City Women". The platform allows users to look up legal regulations and access essential information instantly, drawing thousands of active daily users.
To ensure no demographic is left behind, the city has created specialized subgroups. These include a dedicated union chapter for female migrant workers living in boarding houses in Tan Thoi Hiep Ward, and a legal affairs club for female professionals in Phu Lam Ward.
VWU expands the digital frontier
Despite these successes, VWU leadership acknowledges that membership recruitment remains low in certain areas and some local movements lack long-term efficacy.
Nguyen Thi Minh Huong, Vice President of the VWU, outlined the organization’s upcoming expansion strategy, which heavily relies on internet-based outreach. The union plans to scale up recruitment across cyberspace, pilot online union meetings for busy members, and deploy officials to directly reinforce struggling grassroots chapters.
The ultimate goal, according to the Vice President of the VWU, is to transform every local union office into a welcoming, practical, and indispensable community hub for women nationwide.
