Diversity and Inclusion in Vietnam

Understanding diversity and inclusion in Vietnam matters enormously for international professionals, and the reality varies dramatically between major cities and rural provinces. Traditional attitudes still hold considerable sway, although significant changes are taking place in accessibility rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ acceptance.

For expats weighing up Vietnam as a destination, these social dynamics affect both their career prospects and daily life. You’ll find a country where women dominate certain leadership roles and parental leave policies outstrip many Western nations, but where workplace hierarchies and cultural expectations can be quite surprising.

Accessibility in Vietnam

Accessibility in Vietnam is a mixed picture for the country’s 6.2 million people living with disabilities. The country has experienced limited access to education and employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas. The government has worked closely with UNICEF, USAID and the International Labour Organisation to promote a more inclusive society, aligning it with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It has implemented initiatives and adopted legislation to raise awareness and increase standards in the training, employment, allowances, education, and healthcare of people living with disabilities. Access remains challenging, but there are steady improvements.

Airports

More than half of Vietnam’s airports have now upgraded their accessibility infrastructure. Most international flights arrive at Tan Son Nhat, Ho Chi Minh City’s airport, while Hanoi is accessed via Noi Bai. Both have relatively modern facilities but can become congested during peak times. Assistance for travellers with limited mobility varies considerably and works best when you arrange it in advance with your airline.

Taxis

Most taxis can accommodate a folding wheelchair in the boot, but very few have ramps or space for fixed or powered mobility aids. Mai Linh and Vinasun are popular services that prove safer and more reliable than many independent street cabs, offering pre-booking services for fully accessible vehicles. Regional alternatives to Uber include Grab, Be and Go Viet, helping you avoid hidden costs or circuitous journeys.

Buses

Ho Chi Minh City offers accessible buses with low-floor ramps and designated seating areas for wheelchair users. Most buses elsewhere aren’t accessible to wheelchair users, and boarding and alighting on busy streets and uneven pavements can prove challenging. For most people with any form of impairment (including sight or hearing), buses outside the main cities aren’t a very practical option.

Rail

Hanoi has a relatively efficient overground and underground rapid transit service, while Ho Chi Minh’s metro is partially operational, with much of it under construction and nearing completion. It’s a major programme set to ease the congestion of a city that’s home to well over 9 million people. Both networks were designed to international standards for accessibility.

Car hire

International car hire firms and local franchises are available, although few expats and tourists choose to drive themselves. Car and driver services prove more practical and safer than testing your driving skills on Vietnam’s congested streets. During much of the day, traffic in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi crawls along, so well-planned taxi or train travel tends to be your best bet.

Further reading

Aus4Transport: Accessible Public Transport Network 
VNAH: Inclusion Of The Vietnamese With Disabilities

LGBTQ+ in Vietnam

LGBTQ+ life in Vietnam shows encouraging progress. The country ranks fourth among Southeast Asian countries for LGBTQ+ equality with a score of 50 out of 100, behind Thailand, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste, but ahead of Singapore and other regional neighbours. Homosexuality is legal and generally accepted, especially in the expat communities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Some people from more traditional backgrounds may still discriminate.

Same-sex marriages aren’t legally recognised. Transgender individuals can legally change their gender marker after undergoing sex reassignment surgery, and since 2024, can update their ID cards during the transition process.

Viet Pride marches take place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and gay characters appear in mainstream television and films, but many Vietnamese people are socially conservative. Public displays of affection might draw disapproving glares, but the same holds true for straight couples.

Further reading

Human Rights Watch: Vietnam Adopts Global LGBT Health Standard
Equaldex: LGBT Rights In Vietnam

Gender equality in Vietnam

Gender equality in Vietnam shows mixed progress across different areas. While Vietnamese women have achieved parity in education and make up 49 percent of the country's workforce, with a relatively high labour force participation rate of 63 percent, workplace inequality persists. Society continues to assign women most unpaid care work, and women earn significantly less than men in similar roles.

Women own 21 percent of small and medium enterprises, but gender inequality remains high in larger organisations. A gender pay gap of approximately 14 percent persists. Vietnam offers among Southeast Asia's most generous parental leave policies, with six months (180 days) of maternity leave at full salary, plus 5 to 14 days of paid paternity leave.

Further reading

Vietnam Briefing: Female Workers In Vietnam Legal Rights And Gender Equality 
UN Women: Country Gender Equality Profile Vietnam 
GSO: Gender Equality In Labor And Access To Management Work

Women in leadership in Vietnam

Women in leadership in Vietnam occupy strong positions in certain sectors while facing other barriers. For Vietnamese women, success means more than a career. Female leaders need to be champions of the double burden of their roles at home and work.

While society celebrates female leaders, they are subject to many traditional norms set by the remnants of Confucianism and contemporary standards. Women hold 33 percent of senior management positions, slightly below the ASEAN average of 38 percent but above the Asia-Pacific average of 31 percent.

As the economy shifts from agriculture to manufacturing and technology, more female leaders are visible. They are also well represented on People’s Committees in local, regional and national government. The government targets having women in leadership roles in 70 percent of state management agencies by 2030.

Further reading

Grant Thornton: Women In Business 2025 Vietnam 
Investing In Women: Vietnam 
UN: Voices From Vietnam Invest In Women Accelerate Progress

Mental health in Vietnam

There have been several modern healthcare developments in mental health in Vietnam alongside some persisting traditional beliefs. In Vietnamese culture, mental and physical health are seen as interconnected and viewed as a state of balance. Traditionally, mental health issues have been seen as shameful or a burden.

The mental healthcare system is improving through policy and legislation, including the National Mental Health Strategy 2015–2025 and the National Plan for Prevention and Control of Mental Health Disorders 2022–2025. The government aims for 40 percent of people to receive periodic mental health screening by 2025, rising to 60 percent by 2030.

Since the pandemic, many multilingual national and international resources have become available online to support those suffering from stress, depression and anxiety.

Further reading

EUAA: Medical Country Information Vietnam Psychiatry
World Bank: Human Resources For Mental Health Service Delivery

Unconscious bias in Vietnam

Unconscious bias in Vietnam stems from deeply ingrained social attitudes and historical perspectives. These prejudices, absorbed when living in unequal societies, create barriers around gender, age and ethnicity that inhibit effective hiring, limit development and lower staff morale.

Some international organisations operating in Vietnam use training programmes to promote tolerance and understanding, but entrenched views on gender roles persist. Ageism has emerged as a key diversity and inclusion concern in Vietnamese workplaces.

Diversification of the workforce in Vietnam

The topic of workforce diversification in Vietnam reflects the country’s cultural richness and economic realities. Vietnam is statistically the most culturally diverse country in Southeast Asia, and it's also host to over 100 thousand international workers. Within the population of around 102 million, the government recognises 54 ethnic groups, the vast majority (85 percent) being Kinh (Viet).

The 15 percent of the population that belongs to minority ethnic groups is mainly concentrated in the mountainous and rural regions, and this has led to an ethnic wage gap of around 6.5 percent. Only 6 percent of ethnic minority adults have vocational or tertiary education, compared to 20 percent of Kinh adults.

Further reading

Vietnam Briefing: Insights Into The Vietnam Workforce 2024 
UN: Vietnam Common Country Analysis 2024 Update

Safety in Vietnam

Safety in Vietnam presents a reassuring picture for expats and international professionals. The country ranks as a generally safe place to live, travel and work, sitting 41st out of 163 countries in the 2024 Global Peace Index. Most incidents you’ll encounter are petty crimes such as pickpocketing, centred on tourist attractions and markets. Traffic poses the biggest threat to safety and well-being, with motorcycles involved in the vast majority of road crashes. The country has 74 million motorcycles, more than the adult population, making up over 90 percent of all vehicles.

Vietnam consistently ranks as one of the safest destinations for solo female travellers and expat workers. While most women in Vietnam dress moderately, there are no clothing restrictions except for sacred sites such as pagodas and churches. Harassment and sexual violence are low and uncommon.

Further reading

Economics And Peace: Global Peace Index 2024 (PDF) 
WHO: Global Motorcycle Safety Experts In Vietnam 
Vietnam News: Safety Measures As Motorbikes Remain Dominant Transport 
US State Department: Vietnam Travel Advisory

Calendar initiatives in Vietnam

4 February – World Cancer Day 
March – TB Awareness Month 
8 March – International Women’s Day 
19 May – Global Accessibility Awareness Day 
June – Pride Month 
10 September – World Suicide Prevention Day 
October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month 
10 October –World Mental Health Day 
14 November – World Diabetes Day 
1 December – World AIDS Day