Basis for commitment implementation
In Vietnam, social justice is both the goal and the driving force for development and social stability. President Ho Chi Minh taught: “Do not fear shortages, only fear injustice”. The Party’s goal of nation building is to move towards a society of “rich people, strong country, justice, democracy, and civilization”.
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| The 62nd Plenary Session of the Commission on Social Development (CsocD) took place from February 5-14 in New York (USA). |
Attending the 62nd Session of the Committee on Social Development (CsocD), Vietnam reaffirmed its strong commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, while emphasizing that Vietnam's priority is to build an inclusive, equitable, self-reliant society where no one is left behind, by continuing to eradicate hunger, reduce poverty, and provide social support to the people...
Besides, the achievements in ensuring human rights in recent years are also an important basis and premise for Vietnam to fulfill the above commitments.
Support for workers in difficulty has been implemented promptly. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a strong impact on people's lives as many people have lost their jobs and have no source of income. To support people, the Government has issued many timely policies.
Summing up Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP on a number of policies to support employees and employers facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as of June 30, 2022, nearly 36.5 million employees, people, 394,000 employers and 500,000 business households have been supported with a total amount of VND 45,600 billion.
In addition, policies, programs and solutions for job creation have been implemented synchronously, actively and effectively, partly solving the unemployment situation and restructuring employment after the pandemic. Currently, workers can borrow up to 100 million VND, production and business establishments can borrow up to 2 billion VND/project to create jobs, maintain and expand employment. In addition, workers are also supported by the State in housing through a support package of 15,000 billion VND to buy and rent social housing at low prices and interest rates.
Social insurance policy reform with wide coverage rate . The State encourages and creates conditions for agencies, organizations and individuals to participate in social insurance, supports voluntary social insurance participants; protects the social insurance fund and has measures to preserve and grow the fund...
In 2023, 18.26 million people participated in social insurance, reaching 39.25% of the working-age labor force; about 1.83 million people participated in voluntary social insurance, reaching 3.92% of the working-age labor force (exceeding 1.42% of the target by 2025); 14.7 million people participated in unemployment insurance, reaching nearly 31.6% of the working-age labor force. In particular, health insurance coverage continues to develop sustainably over the years, in 2023, over 93.3 million people participated, reaching a rate of 93.35% (exceeding 0.15%) approaching the goal of universal health insurance.
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| Social insurance policy reform with widespread social insurance coverage. |
Implementing policies for meritorious people well. Currently, the whole country has over 1.2 million meritorious people receiving monthly allowances and over 280,000 relatives of meritorious people receiving monthly death benefits. The standard level of allowances and preferential allowances is adjusted to increase in accordance with the roadmap for adjusting the increase in the basic salary level.
From July 1, 2023, the preferential allowance for people with revolutionary contributions will increase from VND 1,624,000 to VND 2,055,000. To date, 99% of households with revolutionary contributions have a standard of living equal to or higher than the average standard of living of local residents, and 99% of communes and wards have done a good job in supporting war invalids and martyrs.
The work of hunger eradication and poverty reduction has achieved many outstanding results . Vietnam is one of the first 30 countries in the world and the first country in Asia to apply the multidimensional poverty standard, ensuring a minimum standard of living and lack of access to basic social services (6 dimensions of employment; health, education; housing; water and sanitation; information).
From a poor country, Vietnam's GDP at current prices in 2023 is estimated to reach 10,221.8 trillion VND, equivalent to 430 billion USD. GDP per capita in 2023 at current prices is estimated to reach 101.9 million VND/person, equivalent to 4,284 USD, an increase of 160 USD compared to 2022. Vietnam is considered by the international community as a bright spot in poverty reduction, from 60% of the population in poverty (in 1990) to 2023, the whole country has more than 1.58 million poor and near-poor households in multidimensional dimensions, the national multidimensional poverty rate is 5.71%.
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| Poster of the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. (Source: www.unwomen.org) |
With the regular addition and improvement of laws on gender equality , typically the promulgation of the Law on Gender Equality, Vietnam is one of the countries that has achieved the Millennium Development Goals on gender equality and women's empowerment the earliest and is currently striving to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including goals on promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls; ranked 60th in the world, ranked 4th in Asia and ranked first in ASEAN in terms of the proportion of women participating in elected bodies; ranked 3rd in ASEAN and 47th out of 187 countries in the world participating in the ranking of gender equality in politics and management; ranked in the top 1/3 of countries in terms of the proportion of female National Assembly deputies and the proportion of women participating in the workforce with the proportion of female National Assembly deputies reaching over 30%...
A major step forward in ensuring the rights of the LGBT+ community is that the Ministry of Health has affirmed that homosexuality is not a disease. Many members of the LGBT+ community have had their lives more secured, especially with legal policies protecting LGBT people when participating in criminal proceedings, especially searches, detentions and temporary detentions...
The rights of people with disabilities are better guaranteed . People with disabilities are cared for by the State, creating conditions for them to access public utilities. By the end of 2023, the number of people with disabilities receiving monthly social benefits and free health insurance cards will reach over 1.6 million people.
Every year, about 19,000 people with disabilities are trained, given jobs, and introduced to jobs with a success rate of over 50%. Nearly 40,000 people with disabilities are able to borrow capital from the National Employment Fund at preferential interest rates... Many other policies such as: exemption and reduction of tickets when participating in traffic and entering entertainment areas are implemented by localities with exemption and reduction rates from 25% to 100% for people with disabilities...
It can be said that the achievements made in recent years are the premise and solid foundation for Vietnam to fulfill its commitments in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, while emphasizing Vietnam's priority of building an inclusive, equitable, self-reliant society where no one is left behind.
| In the book “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam”, discussing the issue of fairness, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed: “We need a society in which development is truly for the people, not for profit that exploits and tramples on human dignity. We need economic development coupled with social progress and justice, not increasing the gap between rich and poor and social inequality. We need a society of compassion, solidarity, mutual support, towards progressive and humane values, not unfair competition, “big fish swallowing small fish”… |
Challenges, difficulties and solutions
In addition to the achievements that have been made as a basis for implementing commitments in the coming time, Vietnam is facing many difficulties and challenges, especially in terms of resources, requiring increased international cooperation in capacity building and technical support to promote the common goal of development and social equity.
Domestic challenges: the negative impact of the market economy increases the risk of polarization between rich and poor; unemployment, underemployment; the difference in living standards between regions; the quality of health care services has not met the needs of people, especially in rural and mountainous areas; the rate of poor households of ethnic minorities is still higher than the national average while some poor people and areas have not made efforts to escape poverty; in particular, there are still complicated phenomena of embezzlement, corruption, waste, and smuggling leading to social injustice.
In particular, the issue of economic resources, human resources, and equal access to public services among regions and subjects is also a challenge to ensuring social equity.
External challenges: climate change factors, environmental pollution, competition between major countries, arms race, ethnic and religious conflicts... in the world also partly affect the assurance of social justice in our country.
Therefore, in the coming time, Vietnam needs to focus on comprehensively, synchronously and effectively implementing the following solutions:
Firstly, on the economy . Promote economic development, as a resource for ensuring social equity. Increase investment, especially public investment, combined with promoting private economic resources in economic development in remote areas, border areas, islands, and ethnic minority areas. Create an investment and business environment to attract organizations and individuals to invest in regional economic development, especially in areas with many difficulties. In addition, strictly punish acts of illegal profiteering.
Second, in terms of politics . Maintain and strengthen the leadership role of the Communist Party of Vietnam, promote the effectiveness and efficiency of the State's social management; enhance the role and responsibility of socio-political organizations, social organizations, and professional organizations, especially the role of social supervision and criticism. Create a stable political environment for economic development and growth, build socialist democracy; consolidate the great national unity bloc, international solidarity; resolutely fight against corruption and negativity.
Third, on the social side . Harmoniously handle social relations and promptly and effectively resolve risks to contribute to ensuring social order and safety. Continue to effectively implement preferential policies and social assistance, focusing on ensuring human rights, taking people as the center, contributing to stabilizing and improving the quality of life for disadvantaged groups to narrow the gap in living standards and access to other social resources through solutions for equal access to opportunities.
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| The 2030 Agenda with 17 Sustainable Development Goals was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. (Photo: Vu Phong) |
Develop a comprehensive social security system, aiming to cover all people, reform the multi-layered social insurance system based on the principles of contribution - enjoyment, sharing - sustainability. Prioritize perfecting policies for the poor, ethnic minorities and particularly disadvantaged areas; avoid leveling, protect and help all members of society, encourage people to be proactive and actively secure their own lives.
Fourth, in terms of culture . Building an advanced Vietnamese culture, imbued with national identity; focusing on developing spiritual and cultural life in rural areas, ethnic minority areas, and regions. Raising the intellectual level of the people, especially those in remote areas, border areas, islands, ethnic minority areas and mountainous areas.
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