From policy to action

Promoting and integrating gender in the implementation of the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction has achieved many results, and the achievements in poverty reduction have greater significance.

Vietnam is a bright spot in sustainable poverty reduction.

Sustainable poverty reduction is a major policy of the Party and the State; an important, regular, long-term political task of the entire political system and society, contributing to the implementation of social progress and equity, and constantly improving the material and spiritual life of the people. Achievements in poverty reduction are of great significance, affirming the determination of the entire Party and people in the cause of national construction and development.

This policy is concretized through many policies as well as practical actions to improve people's spiritual and material life, contributing to narrowing the gap between rich and poor in society.

Vietnam's achievements in poverty reduction are considered by many international expert organizations to be "almost unprecedented" and likened to "a revolution".

Vietnam is currently one of the first countries in the world and the first country in Asia to apply the multidimensional poverty line (MPI). According to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on July 15, 2023, Vietnam has reduced its MPI index by half over the past 15 years.

Vietnam’s achievements in poverty reduction during the period of renovation and international integration are some of the outstanding successes in the country’s construction in the period of renovation and international integration. The efforts in poverty reduction not only demonstrate the spirit of mutual love and support, a precious tradition of the Vietnamese people, but also ensure the right to enjoy the achievements of development for everyone, “leaving no one behind”.

Promoting gender equality and integrating gender into sustainable poverty reduction is Vietnam's policy. In our policy orientation, we have clearly stated that gender inequality is closely related to poverty. Gender inequality is both the cause of poverty and backwardness and the main barrier to sustainable development.

Growing cinnamon trees brings stable income, helping many women in Lang Son escape poverty

In the past, rural women and ethnic minority women had less access to production resources, education, skills development and employment opportunities than men. The main reason for this situation was gender inequality, where women had a lower and weaker status.

In parallel with the goal of promoting gender equality and sustainable poverty reduction, the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction from 2011-2020 has mentioned the poor, poor households and especially prioritized poor households who are women and poor households of ethnic minorities. The State pays special attention to gender issues in poverty reduction.

The Action Plan to reduce the economic gender gap, enhance women's economic empowerment, and enhance access of poor rural women and ethnic minority women to economic resources has been implemented.

Local authorities and Women's Unions at all levels have vigorously promoted lending and economic assistance to poor women. Action plans, programs, and models have been developed to suit local realities. Models such as planting cinnamon trees in Lang Son, raising free-range chickens in Thai Nguyen, and women helping themselves escape poverty and helping each other escape poverty have been implemented.

The result of this action program is that the multidimensional poverty rate has continuously decreased in the period 2016-2022. The multidimensional poverty rate in 2022 is 4.3%, down 0.1 percentage points compared to 2021 and down an average of 0.81 percentage points in the period 2016-2022. In 2023, it is estimated that the multidimensional poverty rate will continue to decrease by 1.1% compared to 2022, achieving and exceeding the targets set by the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the period 2021-2025. Vietnam is considered a bright spot in the world in the fight against poverty and is one of the pioneering countries in approaching and applying sustainable multidimensional poverty reduction methods to achieve social security goals and promote gender equality.

Many international experts, when researching and evaluating, have commented that gender mainstreaming and joint actions to help women escape poverty have made Vietnam's poverty reduction achievements more profound, complete, comprehensive and meaningful.

Lessons learned on gender mainstreaming in sustainable poverty reduction

Besides the achievements, poverty reduction work in Vietnam still continues to face many obstacles and challenges.

According to the Government's report, the rate of re-poverty in the 4 years (2016-2019) averaged 4.1%/year compared to the total number of households escaping poverty. Some localities in the Northwest and Central Highlands have slow poverty reduction rates, always facing the risk of re-poverty, and the lives of women and ethnic minorities are still limited. In Gia Lai, from 2019-2022, 461 ethnic minority households re-entered poverty (accounting for 85.5%); in Quang Ngai, 579 new poor households emerged in 2023.

In addition to the causes of natural conditions and limited infrastructure, the problem of multidimensional poverty reduction in many localities, especially remote areas and ethnic minority areas, is still difficult because many poor households do not have land or means of production. In these localities, access to basic social services such as health care, education, information, housing, clean water and sanitation, etc. according to the multidimensional poverty standard faces many challenges.

Activities to support female members in economic development and sustainable poverty escape are being implemented in Yen Bai.

During the implementation process, local Women's Unions have drawn lessons from the lessons that if we want to sustainably reduce poverty and avoid falling back into poverty, we need to arouse women's autonomy, "giving them a fishing rod, not a fish". After promoting and mobilizing, implementing initial support solutions, and providing loans, it is necessary to equip poor women with skills and knowledge, so that "women can stand on their own in a sustainable way".

According to feedback, some poverty reduction policies are still implemented in the form of non-refundable support, a "free" mechanism. These supports have actually helped improve the immediate lives of many poor households, but from here, they have also given rise to a mentality of waiting and relying on some people, not being able to unleash the resources of the people to invest more in production.

Women cadres through the implementation process have expressed their opinions that in addition to supporting production (capital support, land support, agricultural materials support), it is also necessary to support consumption (market access support, support for linkages, sales) to be truly effective and sustainable. After women have begun to escape poverty, to escape poverty sustainably, it is necessary to equip them with more knowledge, and to promote access to technology for poor women to develop production. Many opinions recorded from Women's Unions at all levels are that there needs to be a more flexible mechanism in lending social policy capital, because in reality, the poor do not have counterpart capital and have difficulty accessing loans.

In the new situation, there is a need for new, appropriate programs and action plans to continue effectively implementing the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction.

Source: https://pnvnweb.dev.cnnd.vn/binh-dang-gioi-trong-giam-ngheo-da-chieu-tu-chinh-sach-den-hanh-dong-20241229213025569.htm