On the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Vietnam Revolutionary Press (June 21, 1925 – June 21, 2025), the Vietnam Women’s Museum is proud to present a special document: a manuscript nearly 70 years old, printed on two sheets of paper, with typewritten words interspersed with red ink – handwritten notes by President Ho Chi Minh on the work of women’s liberation. This artifact serves as evidence of President Ho’s deep affection and special attention to women’s affairs, while also highlighting the important role of the press in conveying the national liberation aspirations and progressive ideas that helped change perceptions and spread the spirit of the fight for equality.

The manuscript is titled: “If Women Are Not Liberated, Socialist Construction Will Be Only Half Done…” The manuscript records the speech President Ho Chi Minh delivered at a meeting of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Women’s Union around 1955. The staff members of the Vietnam Women’s Newspaper transcribed the speech and later sent it to President Ho for his feedback and approval before publication. Every red ink mark, each period, and comma in the manuscript reflects his profound thought. One passage in the manuscript reads: “It is essential to increase production as much as possible. To produce more, we need more labor power. And to have more labor power, we must liberate the labor force of women.” Another key statement says: “If women are not liberated, socialist construction will be only half done.”

The manuscript was carefully preserved by Mrs. Nguyen ThiThanh Huong, former Editor-in-Chief of the Vietnam Women’s Newspaper, Member of the Secretariat of the Vietnam Women’s Union Central Committee, and Member of the Secretariat of the Vietnam Journalists Association. She recalls that at the time, she was in charge of the Marriage and Family section of the newspaper and was tasked with keeping the manuscript after it was reviewed and corrected by President Ho Chi Minh as reference material. As a result, she meticulously kept it for many decades as a valuable journalistic memento. This priceless artifact has now been donated to the Vietnam Women’s Museum, where the stories of President Ho’s progressive ideas and the history of journalism will continue to be shared with future generations.