This paper examines gender equality in three important aspects including education,
health care and employment in Vietnam. Data used in this paper are from the most recent
Vietnam Household Living Standard Surveys in 2004, 2006 and 2008. It is found that
there are no differences in primary and lower-secondary education enrolment between
girls and boys for the whole country as well as for different people groups such as
urban/rural, ethnic minority and Kinh/Hoa people. Women are more likely than men in
using outpatient and inpatient health care services. However, for people above 14 years
old, men still have higher education and a higher rate of literacy than women. Women are
less likely than men in having wage employment, and their wage is lower than men’s
wage. Women have to do more housework than men even after the working hours for
income are controlled for.