VN presentation1 Viet Nam’s National Targeted Poverty Reduction Programme Through a Gender Lens Nicola Jones (ODI) and Tran Thi Van Anh (IFGS)

VN presentation2 Type of instrument Selected Social Protection Instruments in Viet Nam Social assistance programmes National Targeted Programme for Poverty Reduction; Programme 135 for improving infrastructure in ethnic minority communities Pensions for the elderly Social insurance schemes Health insurance programme which covers all children under the age of six as well as all households below the poverty line Various commercial and non-profit micro- insurance schemes Social welfare programmes Programmes targeted at child protection and gender-based violence Social equity measures 2007 Gender Equality Law; 2007 Law on Domestic Violence

VN presentation3 Gender Insensitive NTPPR  The NTPPR seeks to help poor households and communities through a comprehensive package of support.  Access to credit, basic services, agricultural extension services, land holdings and legal aid, school fee exemptions, vocational training and health insurance  However, NTPPR pays little attention to the gendered nature of poverty and vulnerability.  There are also no gender-specific targets or measurable outcomes, nor any specific provisions for gender training for programme implementers

VN presentation4 Meets some practical gender needs Health insurance card is extremely valuable -Conserve scare resources - Reduces the amount of time women need to be absent from paid work to tend to ill children - Seek health professionals’ advice regarding reproductive health issues School fee exemption scheme was similarly important - Allow many children to remain in school for longer, but other barriers remained (costs of clothing, transportation, and the loss of children’s labour)

VN presentation5 Meets some practical gender needs - Investment in roads and electricity - Improve women’s and men’s access to health clinics, schools and markets - Access to credit Women’s Union stepping as an intermediary for poor women - Economic empowerment - Enhancing women’s domestic decision-making power

VN presentation6 But limited impacts Lack of a dedicated nutrition component - Limited inroads into reducing the pockets of food insecurity - Malnutrition among girls and boys especially in highland communities Language barriers and other social risks - Ethnic minority women encounter barriers in accessing market, training and community participation - Positive spill-over effects on intra- household violence appear to have been minimal.

VN presentation7 Challenges Coordination between line ministries is hampered by programme fragmentation and implementation overlap MOLISA, mandated with addressing gender inequalities, is under-resourced and lacks the institutional positioning to ensure gender is integrated across sectors, including social protection

VN presentation8 Challenges (cont) Lack of gender disaggregated data and practical training on gender mainstreaming; Inadequate accountability mechanisms Under-recognition by senior political leaders of potential for gender equality to contribute to developmental/ poverty reduction goals Relatively weak civil society has rendered civic oversight largely ineffective

VN presentation9 Policy Implications Ensure gender differences in economic and social risks and intersection with ethnicity are adequately reflected in the design of key programme and sector documents Ensure food security and agricultural productivity remain core objectives of poverty reduction approaches

VN presentation10 Policy Implications (cont) Identify a lead agency to ensure gender is adequately integrated and synergies maximised Promote routine use of gender-disaggregated data in poverty reduction and social protection programme reporting Ensure sufficient funding to support this process and related capacity strengthening for staff