Hanoi (VNA) – In recent years, the Party and State have placed particular emphasis on digital transformation among ethnic minority communities. However, those facing significant geographical, economic, educational and linguistic constraints are at growing risk of experiencing greater digital inequality.
The challenge, therefore, is to develop specific and effective solutions to ensure that all citizens have the capacity to use and benefit from the digital transformation process.
The risk of digital inequality
The national digital transformation programme to 2025, with a vision to 2030, aims to develop digital government, the digital economy and digital society while narrowing the digital divide between different regions. Decision No. 1719/QD-TTg on the national target programme for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for 2021-2030 identifies digital transformation as an important component of regional development. After more than a year of implementing the two-tier local administration model, access to and use of digital services is gradually becoming essential for all citizens.
However, Dr Ro Dam Thi Bich Ngoc from the Institute of Sociology and Psychology under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences said the proportion of applications submitted online should not be equated with the level of digital proficiency among citizens, particularly in ethnic minority areas.
Following a period of research into people's participation in digital governance, Ngoc identified three specific barriers that could contribute to a widening digital divide in these communities.
The first is language. For a significant proportion of ethnic minority people, their mother tongue continues to play an important role in everyday life and communications. Meanwhile, public service platforms, digital banking and e-commerce services primarily use standard Vietnamese and contain numerous administrative and technological terms. This presents a considerable challenge for people trying to understand the information displayed on screen.
Another difficulty lies in the gap between the digital environment and the cultural space of local communities. Many ethnic minority cultures place a strong emphasis on community and collective life, which contrasts with the individualised approach to users often embedded in digital services.
Financial constraints are another obstacle. For many poor and near-poor households in ethnic minority areas, the cost of purchasing devices and maintaining an internet connection remains a significant consideration. Such spending often has to take a back seat to essential needs such as children's school fees, food and agricultural seeds.
H’Loan Bdap, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Council of Dak Lieng commune in the central province of Dak Lak, said that in some ethnic minority hamlets and villages in the locality, many residents own smartphones but do not know how to create accounts, use online public services, complete electronic authentication or make cashless payments.
They also face difficulties in finding information and verifying its accuracy, while lacking the skills needed to protect personal data and identify the risks of online scams.
Turning technology into a capacity for development
Dr Pham Thi Xuan Nga, Deputy Director of the central and Central Highlands branch of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, said narrowing the digital divide was an urgent requirement to ensure sustainable development and prevent anyone from being left behind. A clear implementation strategy is therefore needed to close the digital gap.
The expert said the mindset needed to shift from simply bringing technology to people towards empowering people with the ability to use technology.
Under this approach, every hamlet and village should have people with basic digital skills who can provide support for local residents. The network could include hamlet and village officials, young people's union members, teachers, members of women's associations, respected community figures, police and military personnel, as well as postal and telecommunications workers. Such a network would need to operate regularly and provide sustained support.
Ngoc stressed that improving digital capabilities among ethnic minority communities would require data and digital content to be localised. Digital assistant tools should be developed to support people in their mother tongues, thereby reducing language barriers.
Moreover, the goal of digital transformation should not stop at teaching people how to use a smartphone. It should enable them to use technology to improve their livelihoods and quality of life.
In some localities, ethnic minority communities have already received training in using technology to livestream the sale of coffee, pepper and durian, promote OCOP products, list goods on e-commerce platforms and develop community-based tourism. Such models should be expanded, she said.
Hamlets, settlements and villages should also have support points for accessing public services, avoiding a situation in which the government becomes increasingly digitalised while citizens find it more difficult to access public authorities.
Digital transformation governance at grassroots level must always put people at the centre. Citizens should not merely be regarded as beneficiaries of policy; they must genuinely become active participants and key agents in the digital transformation process./.
VNA
