Recent Lectures

Overview of the scientific session

On the morning of 22 May 2026, the Institute for Human, Family and Gender Studies organized a scientific exchange with Professor Chandrakala Padia from India, chaired by Dr. Trần Thị Hồng, Vice Director of the Institute, with the participation of a large number of the Institute's researchers.

Professor Chandrakala Padia has held many important positions. She is the former Head of the Department of Political Science, Banaras Hindu University; former Chairperson of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS); former Vice Chancellor of Maharaja Ganga Singh University; former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; former Chairperson of the UGC Standing Committee on Women's Studies, New Delhi; former Member of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), Ministry of Education of India; and former Member of the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Professor Chandrakala Padia is a leading expert in the fields of Political Science, gender studies, and Indian political thought. She has received many prestigious awards and fellowships such as the Fulbright Fellowship of the United States, the Shastri Indo-Canadian Fellowship, the Salzburg Fellowship, along with many awards in education and academic leadership from India and international organizations.

At the beginning of the session, Dr. Trần Thị Hồng delivered a welcome speech to Professor Chandrakala Padia on her visit and working session at the Institute. Dr. Trần Thị Hồng introduced the functions, tasks, organizational structure, and major scientific activities that the Institute has been implementing, while also sharing the Institute's key research directions, including issues related to women and gender.

Professor Chandrakala Padia presenting her paper

Professor Chandrakala Padia presented her paper entitled "From Struggle to Reconciliation: The Role of Women in Conflict Resolution in India and Vietnam." She focused on analyzing the role of women in the struggle against oppression, national liberation, and peacebuilding in India and Vietnam, affirming that the two countries share many similarities in their history of anti-colonial resistance, cultural values, and Buddhist influence.

She introduced many female heroes and outstanding women leaders throughout different historical periods. The contributions of women in Vietnam and India share many similarities, extending beyond the battlefield during struggles to many other areas of society. They participated in political mobilization, intelligence, diplomacy, agriculture, logistics, education, and social reconstruction.

The discussion session was lively, with many exchanges of opinions and questions not only directly related to the presentation but also revolving around interesting topics such as women's empowerment, the hierarchical system in India, the role of technology and innovation, and government support policies aimed at promoting gender equality, while also suggesting lessons for Vietnam.

The issue of sexual violence against women in India was also raised and discussed. According to Professor Chandrakala Padia, the main cause does not stem from gender imbalance but from the negative impacts of films, social media, unsafe websites, and similar influences. In this context, education plays an important role in limiting such situations. Strict punitive measures are also regularly enforced to ensure deterrence in society. Professor Chandrakala Padia also vividly shared practical experiences from India regarding the protection and empowerment of women.

At the end of the scientific exchange, Dr. Trần Thị Hồng, on behalf of the Institute for Human, Family and Gender Studies, expressed sincere thanks to Professor Chandrakala Padia for taking time during her working visit to Vietnam to exchange ideas with the Institute's scholars and expressed hope that the cooperative relationship would continue to be maintained through many meaningful activities.

Delegates taking commemorative photographs