An opinion survey regarding gender roles and family in Vietnam

Abstract

Opinions regarding gender roles and family were investigated among 389 urban dwellers in Vietnam using a questionnaire composed of eitht items. As far as gender role is concerned, about 60% of men and 70-80% of women considered that a woman should be responsible for most of the household affairs, even if she is working outside. About 30% of respondents showed a positive response to the idea of child labor. Almost all of the respondents considered it quite natural that children must take care of their elderly parents. For the education of chldren, about 90% thought that children must be offered an opportunity to receive as much education possible, regardless of the gender of the child. For the education of girls, people with higher educational levels showed a more positive response. The present analysis has clarified that traditional beliefs regarding gender roles and family still remain strong even among people with high education level in urban areas of Vietnam