Improving women's mental health for sustainable development

In this article, they highlight how multilayers of societal expectations impact Vietnamese women, and why prioritising their mental wellbeing is crucial for Vietnam’s sustainable development.

Past and current societal expectations for Vietnamese women

In long-standing Vietnamese proverbs, women are taught to have diligence, self-sacrifice, and obedience, reflecting Confucian ideals. Sayings like “Công, dung, ngôn, hạnh” (household skills, graceful appearance, modest speech, and virtue) reinforce the notion that a woman’s worth is tied to what she can offer to her family. “Gái có công thì chồng không phụ” (a hardworking wife will not be abandoned) suggests that a marriage's success depends on the woman’s, not the man’s, dedication and labour, reflecting unequal expectations for women to be devoted.

Beyond domestic responsibilities, Vietnamese women also face pressure to excel in their careers (“Giỏi việc nước, đảm việc nhà”). This expectation has historical roots in war times when women were perceived as courageous, self-sacrificing, and resilient, capable of fighting invaders just like male soldiers (“Giặc đến nhà đàn bà cũng đánh”). Yet, no equivalent expectations exist for men.

Implicit messages that perpetuate gender inequity remain in other proverbs. While “Đàn ông rộng miệng thì sang” (men with big mouths are rich), “đàn bà rộng miệng tan hoang cửa nhà” (women with big mouths ruin their homes), reflecting a deep-seated gender bias where men are encouraged to be outspoken and assertive, while women are expected to be reserved in their speech. Or “Đàn ông đi biển có đôi, đàn bà đi biển đơn côi một mình” (men voyage in pairs, women voyage alone) advises women to be self-sufficient for personal struggles, with marriage, childbirth, and household responsibilities symbolising their lonely “voyage”.

Appearance standards continue to increase the pressure. Sayings like “Những người thắt đáy lưng ong, đã khéo chiều chồng, lại khéo nuôi con” (women with wasp-like waists are good at taking care of her husband and children), and “Phụ nữ mắt trắng môi thâm, ví chẳng hại chồng thì cũng hại con” (women with goggle eyes and dark-coloured lips are no good for her husband and children) add yet another layer of expectation and pressure.

Despite modernisation, these deeply ingrained beliefs continue to affect Vietnamese women’s mental wellbeing.

Psychological and physical burdens for Vietnamese women

Vietnamese women experience significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than men (Collier, 2020). The double burden of work and family responsibilities often leads to burnout, self-doubt, and self-blame. Workplace barriers further exacerbate these struggles. Women face discrimination in career advancement, which is evidenced in Phuong’s research, showing that female job applicants with lower facial attractiveness have higher risks of negative personality judgments in recruitment. On the other hand, this same expectation can work against women. Attractiveness is often used as an excuse to blame them for harassment and exploitation, reinforcing the double standards that shape a no-win situation for women.

Motherhood introduces additional stressors. After childbirth, Vietnamese mothers frequently bear childcare responsibilities, sleep deprivation, and hormonal changes without adequate institutional and psychological support, increasing postpartum depression risks. Workplace discrimination against mothers – known as the “motherhood penalty” – forces many to return to work prematurely, fearing job loss or career stagnation and making it more difficult for women to prioritise their mental health.

Beyond professional and family pressures, violence remains a harsh reality. Despite legal protections, nearly 63% of Vietnamese women experience some form of violence in their lifetime, according to the National Study on Violence Against Women in Vietnam in 2019. The same study found that the majority of perpetrators were male (60.6%), and over one-third of the victims (35.4%) identified a male family member as the aggressor. Recent tragedies, such as a son setting his mother on fire or a man fatally stabbing his girlfriend in public, speak of the ongoing dangers women face while serving as grim reminders of the persistence of gender-based violence.

The impact of women’s mental health on future generations

Women’s mental wellbeing is not just an individual concern – it is a serious public health matter that has profound implications for future generations. Research shows that maternal stress, anxiety, depression and suicidality can negatively impact parenting practices, mother-child bonding, children’s socio-emotional and cognitive development, and long-term health outcomes. Mental health struggles can be transmitted across generations, either biologically or through learned behaviours in emotionally strained households.

A mother’s mental wellbeing impacts a child’s mental wellbeing, yet women are often discouraged from open discussions about mental health, leaving many to suffer in silence. Promoting mental wellbeing among Vietnamese women, therefore, must be a public health investment to achieve intergenerational mental wellbeing and sustainable development.

Rethinking progress

International Women’s Day is not just about celebrating progress – it is also about recognising where we can do better. Research, including Thu’s current doctoral study on Vietnam’s evolving gender norms, highlights that although policy shift has increased women’s economic participation, they continue to face unrealistic social expectations.

Moving forward requires action: expanding mental health services and community support, recognising women’s mental health as a public health priority, and strictly enforcing protections against gender-based violence. Workplace reforms – such as expanding parental leave, enforcing anti-discrimination policies, and supporting flexible work – are crucial in easing the burden on working mothers. Equally important is challenging outdated gender norms through education and positive media representation. Gender equity is not a competition between genders, but a system where everyone benefits.

Vietnam’s rapid progress up until now proves that change is possible. By continuing to challenge outdated expectations and promoting shared responsibilities, we can create a future where equal opportunities are truly accessible to all, ensuring sustainable development is within reach.

Story: Huynh Minh Thu (PhD candidate, Women in STEMM fellow) and Vu Bich Phuong (associate lecturer), Psychology program, School of Science, Engineering & Technology, RMIT University Vietnam

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