News
Report: Ethnic minorities poverty reduction still moving slowly
  • | dtinews.vn | December 04, 2010 10:17 AM

>> Seminar discusses sustainable poverty reduction

>> UN official pushes poverty reduction efforts in Vietnam

>> $165M on poverty reduction in Northern mountainous region

The rate of poverty reduction for ethnic minority people in Vietnam is moving much slower than that of the national average.

With the modest investment, efficiency of many projects remains weak

A report was released at a conference entitled “Solutions for Rapid and Sustainable Poverty Reduction in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas from 2011-2015 period” co-held by the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and the United Nations in Vietnam in Hanoi on December 3.

According to the report, the poverty rate of Vietnamese ethnic minority people has consistently increased between 1993 and 2008. In 1993, the rate was reported at 18% and it rose to 29% in 1998, 39% in 2004, 47% in 2006 and 55% in 2008. Meanwhile, ethnic minority people account for 14.6% of the total population.

In 2009, the poverty rate in mountainous and ethnic minority areas considerably decreased to 31.2%, but was still 2.5 times higher than the country’s average level of 12%. This year, the rate is expected to be about 30%.

The average income of ethnic minority people makes up just one third of the national average level. When the poverty standard of VND400,000 (USD20) is applied from 2011, the poverty rate in very disadvantaged mountainous villages will rise to up to between 60% to 75%.

At the conference, Giang Pheo Su, Minister and Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, said the government’s poverty reduction activities are comprehensive and cover all economic and social walks of life. However, there is major content overlap of poverty programmes.

Currently, between 20 and 30 poverty reduction policies are being carried out in each commune in mountainous and ethnic minority areas. Nevertheless, with the modest investment, efficiency of many projects remains weak. Many localities still depend on the state’s support.

John Hendra, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam said, “Future poverty reduction is likely to be much more difficult, more complicated and more costly than before and hence calls for new and fresh thinking.” He also noted that it is necessary to pay more attention to different poverty levels among ethnic minority groups. Therefore, there needs to be measures which are suitable for the ethnic minority areas and their cultural characters for effective use of financial resources.

The conference attracted the participation of officials from the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs and representatives from ministries, agencies, embassies in Hanoi and many international organisations.

The event is an occasion for delegates to discuss causes of poverty situation in mountainous and ethnic minority areas as well as propose solutions to this, aiming to build policies and mobilise assistance from the government and international donors for improving people’s lives.

Leave your comment on this story