Launching global project to empower women and girls through Vietnamese martial arts and sport
WVR - The launch of the Guardian Girls Vovinam (GGV) project marks a historic milestone in the intersection of global martial arts and gender empowerment.
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| The launch of the Guardian Girls Vovinam (GGV) project in Hanoi on September 16. (Source: UNFPA) |
Guardian Girls International (GGI), the World Vovinam Federation (WVVF), UNFPA Vietnam and the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam proudly announce the official global launch of the Guardian Girls Vovinam (GGV) project in Hanoi on September 16, 2025.
This event positions Vietnam as the first ASEAN country, and the first with an international sports federation headquartered in Southeast Asia, to formally join the GGI movement. Vietnam joins 22 other countries across five continents where GGI has initiated projects to promote gender equality and prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG).
The GGV project is a flagship project of GGI, an international NGO affiliated with the Koyamada International Foundation (KIF). It is implemented exclusively in partnership with WVVF and its network of over 60 National Federations worldwide. GGV leverages Vovinam, a traditional Vietnamese martial art that integrates striking and grappling techniques, symbolizing both physical strength and philosophical depth.
Through the GGV project, certified female instructors trained under a standardized curriculum will lead seminars, academies, and educational outreach in communities worldwide. The goal is to provide women and girls with practical self-defense skills, gender-based violence prevention knowledge, and the confidence to assert their rights and personal agency. This project directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality), integrating sport with social impact, safeguarding, and community engagement.
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| The signing of the MOU between Shin Koyamada, Co-Founder and Board Chairman of GGI, and Dr. Mai Huu Tin, Board President of WVVF, officially launched the global rollout of the GGV project in Vietnam. (Source: UNFPA) |
The launch was formalized through the signing of the historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Shin Koyamada, Co-Founder and Board Chairman of GGI, and Dr. Mai Huu Tin, Board President of WVVF, officially launched the global rollout of the GGV project in Vietnam. The event also featured remarks and strong support from UNFPA Vietnam, the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, and KIF Asia Pacific.
At the event, Co-Founder and Board Chairman of GGI Shin Koyamada emphasized: “It is especially meaningful to begin this journey in Vietnam, the birthplace of Vovinam, where culture, tradition, and resilience are deeply woven into the national identity. This is more than martial arts and sports—it’s about transformation, dignity, and the freedom to live without fear".
Dr. Mai Huu Tin, President of the World Vovinam Federation shared: “WVVF is proud to collaborate with GGI to ensure that the principles of equality, safety, and respect are deeply rooted in the Vovinam movement. This project brings the power of our martial art to serve society in a profound new way.”
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| The event also featured remarks and strong support from UNFPA Vietnam, the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam, and KIF Asia Pacific. (Source: UNFPA) |
For his part, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Matt Jackson said: “At UNFPA, we believe that lasting solutions to gender-based violence must be rooted in local culture, led by communities, and supported by multi-sectoral collaboration. GGV reflects this vision by using Vietnam’s traditional martial arts to empower women and girls with practical skills, confidence, and a sense of agency. UNFPA is proud to coordinate with national and international partners to help bring such innovative approaches to life, ones that protect rights, promote equality, ending violence against women and girls and transform lives from the ground up.”
Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam Naoki Ito affirmed that Japan has a long-standing commitment to promoting gender equality and preventing violence against women and girls.
“In 2021, through our partnership with UNFPA, we supported the establishment and operation of three One Stop Service Centres for GBV survivors in Thanh Hoa, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. Today, by supporting Guardian Girls Vietnam, we continue that commitment, honouring both innovation and tradition. This initiative, utilising Vovinam, a traditional Vietnamese martial art, reflects the shared values of Japan and Vietnam in advancing the rights, safety, and empowerment of women and girls", Ambassador Naoki Ito said.
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| GGV leverages Vovinam, a traditional Vietnamese martial art that integrates striking and grappling techniques, symbolizing both physical strength and philosophical depth. (Source: UNFPA) |
| Guardian Girls International (GGI) is a global non-governmental organization co-founded by actor, producer, and entrepreneur Shin Koyamada, best known for co-starring in the Hollywood film "The Last Samurai", and Nia Lyte, a women’s rights advocate and social entrepreneur. GGI is dedicated to advancing gender equality and preventing violence against women and girls through sport-based empowerment, intercultural dialogue, education, and community engagement. The organization partners with international sports federations, United Nations agencies, governments, NGOs, and educational institutions worldwide. |
