Although the poverty rate drops nationally, it remains high among ethnic minorities. (Photo: VNA) This information was revealed at the launch of the Multi-Dimensional Poverty (MDP) report 2021 in Hanoi on July 28. It was jointly compiled by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Committee for Ethnic Affairs (CEMA), the General Statistics Office, and the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).
According to the report, with the adoption of the national multidimensional poverty line in 2015, Vietnam emerged as a pioneer in the Asia-Pacific region, incorporating multidimensional poverty into the national poverty analysis and targeting.
Vietnam has seen progress in multi-dimensional poverty reduction, thanks to the rapid expansion of employment; improvement of social services; and expansion of the social protection system.
The multi-dimensional poverty rate declined consistently and significantly, from 18.1% in 2012 to 10.9% in 2016 and 4.4% in 2020. While one in ten people were poor in income terms in 2014, half moved out of poverty sustainably in the pre-pandemic period.
However, vulnerabilities and disparities represent significant challenges. Transient income poverty increased during COVID-19. Although the poverty rate has dropped nationally, it remains high among ethnic minorities.
More specifically, while digital transformation in the education sector has increased, inequality in access to technology and equipment is still a challenge. The digital divide was more pronounced during COVID-19. Access to health services has improved, but disparities remain, especially between the national level and district/community level health service providers. When it comes to social assistance, cash assistance programs have limited coverage and low benefits. Migrants are broadly excluded.
In this regard, comprehensive and innovative solutions are needed for the country to better adapt to rapidly changing domestic and global contexts, the report suggested.
It went on to say that the effective implementation of these measures, combined with the Vietnamese people’s drive and dynamism, will keep the country on track to meet its Sustainable Development Goals, which include reducing poverty in all dimensions and everywhere.
Participants discuss key findings of the Multi-Dimensional Poverty (MDP) report 2021.(Photo: Vietnam Plus)
Addressing the event, Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs Hau A Lenh said that the adoption of the multi-dimensional poverty approach has supported the development, implementation and measurement of the success of the ethnic minority-related policy.
Lenh said he hopes that the report will point out the shortcomings and main causes of multi-dimensional poverty in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in Vietnam, therefore suggesting effective measures to support the Vietnamese Government to successfully carry out the Master Plan and National Target Programme for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the 2021-2030 period and other ethnic minority programmes and policies.
Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Ba Hoan said the report provides detailed analysis of employment and social security services for all people, adding this is seen as an effective solution to maintain the achievement of multidimensional poverty reduction and renewal of the social security system in Vietnam.
UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Kanni Wignaraja congratulated Vietnam on its remarkable achievements made in the last decade.
The official highlighted key recommendations for accelerating the reduction of poverty in all dimensions, including the necessary policy and investment efforts to encourage and improve levels of productive employment; improving the delivery of quality basic social services and getting this level of quality and access to the toughest to reach communities.
She also suggested expanding social protection and the use of digitalisation in improving delivery and knowledge industries, enhancing efficacy and transparency as well as promoting innovative solutions to specifically scale-up successful pilots conducted by and with ethnic communities./
