The sharing of information contributes to improving research and intervention programmes and helps to inform policies related to society and health. Helping to enable the sharing of information is one of the key goals that the Center for Creative Initiative in Health and Population (CCIHP) is pursuing. To facilitate this CCIHP has undertaken a survey to evaluate the needs of people requiring access to information. This survey identified two main obstacles that prevent researchers, staffs and students from accessing information. These are that they do not know where they can find information and when found it is difficult to filter and select appropriate information. This survey shows a need for well organized resources and as such CCIHP has established a Resource Center to support readers in accessing information in the areas of gender, sexuality and health. The Newsletter ‘Gender & Sexuality Review’ informs people about the resource center and it will be produced quarterly in English and Vietnamese with the following sections:

· Book review: books and manuals will be reviewed

• Updates: Brief introduction of new articles published in international or national peer-reviewed journals.
• Events: Information about international and national up-coming conferences, workshops, and training courses.
• Resources Center: Introduction of books and activities of this center.
• Readers view points: Your opinions, feedbacks and views about the topics/books/articles are welcomed.

The first electronic edition of Newsletter was developed with the title ‘Transitional Gender Identities in a Changing Vietnamese Society’. In this Newsletter, we will focus upon the changes in Vietnam that have taken place in the 20 years after Doi Moi. Although having gained great achievements in economic and social development, Vietnam society seems to have difficulty getting over the word ‘transition’. Gender norms, specifically those related to women‘s sexuality is one site that shows clearly the fluidity and shifts in Vietnamese society around this area. Books and articles introduced in this newsletter shows the contradictions, debates and conflicts between new and traditional values in sexual and gender discourses in Vietnam. For example the history of these terms has been analyzed in book covering the socialist and market reform periods written by Ashley Pettus. Attach file here are The Newsletter ‘Gender & Sexuality Review’by English and Vietnamese version

Hopefully, the information in this newsletter will help you find such information. We also expect to receive your comments, feedbacks and reviews from you to make the newsletter more useful.

If you have any suggestions please send to our address:

Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP)

No 2, Alley 49/41 Huynh Thuc Khang Street, Dong Da District, Hanoi

Phone: 844- 3577 0261 Fax: 844 – 3577 0260

Email: gsh@ccihp.org, nga@ccihp.org

Website: http://www.cihp.vn/ hoặc http://www.cihp.org.vn/

Many thanks

MD, MSc, Hoang Tu Anh

Director