Protecting and ensuring the living conditions of disadvantaged groups

Assoc. Prof., Dr. LE TRONG HANH
MA. MAI VAN DUC
People's Public Security Political Academy

1. Introduction

Disadvantaged groups exist in all countries and dependent on socio-economic development conditions. Disadvantaged groups often receive attention, support, and assistance from the State, organizations, and individuals. Issues related to this social group are increasingly receiving attention in international relations, as well as in the process of building and planning national development policies and guidelines, and on social forums.

In fact, disadvantaged groups have been better protected and ensured of their human rights, basic rights and obligations of citizens; Their material and spiritual life is also increasingly cared for.

Correctly assessing the advantages, difficulties, and challenges in implementing the Party’s guidelines and policies, and the State’s laws regarding disadvantaged groups is very important for planning, adjusting, policy prioritization and for devising solutions to better protect and support these groups in practice.

2. The Party and State’s guidelines and policies on protecting and ensuring the living conditions for disadvantaged groups in Vietnam

Currently, there are many inconsistent views and approaches regarding this group of subjects, both in terms of terminology and content.

Globally, especially in legal documents on human rights(1), disadvantaged groups are mentioned with various terms, such as: vulnerable groups, weak groups, minority groups, marginalized groups, disadvantaged groups, and so on.

In Vietnam, the above terms are more or less mentioned in scientific forums, conferences, and seminars. In recent Party Congress Documents, there are also different terms, such as: “disadvantaged groups”, “vulnerable groups” (the 11th National Party Congress); “disadvantaged classes and sections” (the 12th National Party Congress); “disadvantaged groups”, “disadvantaged subjects” (the 13th National Party Congress).

Based on the widespread understanding disadvantaged groups, it can be understood that disadvantaged groups are groups of people whose natural abilities are partly limited or due to social factors, causing them to be generally underestimated in social status under similar circumstances, conditions and capabilities, or living in particularly difficult circumstances due to poverty, disease and the impact of the environment and natural conditions. Accordingly, disadvantaged groups in Vietnam include basic groups, such as: Children, women, people with disabilities, the elderly, ethnic minorities, the poor, and so on.

People in disadvantaged groups suffer disadvantages in life and are often negatively affected by developments in the living environment (including changes in policies, laws, and other natural and social factors). They often have a lower starting point or fewer conditions and opportunities to access social, medical, cultural, educational resources, and enjoy values and benefits compared to other groups. They may also encounter stigma, discrimination, and inequality in social relationships. Disadvantaged groups are always in need of special attention and support from the State, organizations, individuals, and communities.

During revolutionary periods, especially during the renovation period, the Party and the State have always cared for the people’s lives, especially disadvantaged groups, considering human happiness to be a great driving force to promote all the creative potential of the people in the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland. This is consistently reflected in the Party’s policies and guidelines, recorded in the Party’s Platform and various resolutions, directives, conclusions, etc.

The 11th National Party Congress emphasized: “Continuing to amend and perfect the system of social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, diverse and flexible social assistance and relief system capable of protecting and helping all members of society, especially disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, overcoming difficulties or risks to life”(2).

The 12th National Party Congress affirmed and clarified: “In formulating and implementing socio-economic development policies, due attention shall be paid to disadvantaged classes and parts of society, ethnic minorities in highland, remote and far-away areas, overcoming the increasing wealth gap, ensuring stability and sustainable social development, etc.”(3); “Creating conditions to effectively assist the disadvantaged, vulnerable, or those facing life risks”(4); “Developing diverse forms of charity, promoting the nationwide movement of helping the disadvantaged”(5).

The 13th National Party Congress determined: “Developing a comprehensive social security system, moving towards universal coverage with policies to prevent, minimize and overcome risks for the people, ensuring support for the disadvantaged groups”(6); “Promoting the role and participation of the people in formulating, promulgating, and organizing the implementation of the Party’s guidelines and policies, and the State’s laws on the basis of ensuring harmony of interests among the State, businesses and the people, between regions and localities; Paying due attention to disadvantaged groups in society”(7).

By thoroughly grasping and institutionalizing the Party’s viewpoints and policies, our State has built and promulgated many policies and laws to create a legal corridor and ensure conditions for protecting, caring, supporting, and helping vulnerable people in society.

The 2013 Constitution devotes Chapter II to the constitutional human rights, basic rights, and obligations of citizens. The general spirit is that in Vietnam, human rights and civil rights are recognized, respected, protected, and guaranteed to be implemented in practice; Everyone is equal before the law, no one (including the disadvantaged) is discriminated against in political, civil, economic, cultural and social life.

The State of Vietnam has promulgated many laws, which identify vulnerable groups that need to be protected by law and the legal basis for protecting these groups of people, such as: The Civil Code 2015 (amended, supplemented in 2017); The Penal Code 2015 (amended and supplemented in 2017); The Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control (2013); The Law on Legal Aid (2017); The Children’s Law (2016); The Law on People with Disabilities (2010); The Law on the Elderly (2009); The Law on Gender Equality (2006); The Law on Prevention and Control of Domestic Violence (2022), and so on. The State has focused on building, promulgating and implementing many overall strategies, policies and programs aimed at achieving equality and socio-economic development, reducing the gap between the rich and the poor, between regions and social groups, improving the material and spiritual life of the people and taking care of disadvantaged groups in society such as: The Comprehensive strategy on growth and hunger eradication and poverty reduction; The National target program for sustainable poverty reduction; building new rural areas; socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021 - 2025; The National strategy on natural disaster prevention and control to 2030, vision to 2050; The National strategy for crime prevention and combat for the period 2016 - 2025 and orientation to 2030; The National strategy on climate change until 2050; The National strategy on gender equality for the period 2021 - 2030; The Project to build a national database on social security, applying information technology to solve social security policies by 2020 and development orientation to 2030, and so on.

3. Practical implementation of guidelines and policies on caring for the lives of disadvantaged groups

Implementing the Party’s guidelines, the State’s policies and laws, the work of taking caring for the lives of people in general and disadvantaged groups in society in particular, has achieved many important results.

Overall, after nearly 40 years of national renovation, from an underdeveloped, economically embargoed and besieged poor country, our country has emerged from crisis and has become a dynamic developing country with high and stable economic growth, and the material and spiritual life of the people has been significantly improved.

In particular, disadvantaged groups are cared for, supported and helped in all aspects:

For the poor: Under the leadership of the Party, the management of the State, the coordination and supervision of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, associations and unions, the combined strength of the entire political system and the entire people has been mobilized to effectively implement national programs and goals on hunger eradication and sustainable poverty reduction.

The National Assembly has issued many resolutions on promoting the implementation of sustainable poverty reduction goals, approving investment policies for the National Target Program for sustainable poverty reduction in the periods 2016 - 2020, and 2021 - 2025.

The Government has established a Central Steering Committee with the participation of various ministries and branches to review, supplement and promptly amend mechanisms and policies, creating a legal framework to ensure the implementation of hunger eradication and poverty reduction; Clearly identifying poor households, near-poor households, and multi-dimensional poverty lines as a basis for implementing appropriate, timely, complete, objective, and transparent regimes and policies.

To date, the Government has revised the criteria and standards on poor and near-poor households 8 times. Localities have also institutionalized and concretized these into local socio-economic development programs, plans, and projects and organized synchronous and effective implementation thereof. The results of implementing hunger eradication and poverty reduction policies have made an important contribution to improving the income and material and spiritual life of the poor.

The poverty rate decreased from 9.88% in 2015 to 2.75% in 2020(8). In 2022, the country’s multidimensional poverty rate was approximately 4.2%, decreasing by 0.2 percentage points compared to 2021’s (urban areas were 1.5%, up 0.5 percentage points) and rural areas were 5.9%, decreasing by 0.6 percentage points). Among these, the Northern midlands and mountainous regions had the highest rate of multi-dimensional poor households (12.8%); The Southeast region had the lowest rate of multidimensional poor households in the country (0.4%)(9).

Investment in the state budget and the mobilization of social resources to serve the implementation of hunger eradication and poverty reduction policies been prioritized. On July 28, 2021, the National Assembly promulgated Resolution No. 24/2021/QH15 approving the investment policy of the National Target Program for sustainable poverty reduction in the period 2021 - 2025 with a total minimum capital of VND 75 trillion (in which, central budget capital accounted for VND 48 trillion; the local budget capital accounted for VND12,690 billion and other legally-mobilized capital accounted for VND14,310 billion).

In 2022 alone, the State prioritized allocating VND23 trillion from the state budget to support housing, production, vocational training, job creation, education and training, medicine, health care, legal aid, culture, and information for the poor and near-poor In 2022, 2.4 trillion VND was allocated to support poor and near-poor households; more than 2.7 trillion VND to support social protection beneficiaries under Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP dated March 15, 2021; and nearly 4.6 trillion VND for emergency support in localities facing unexpected, abnormal, and prominent issues(10).

The State has prioritized and expanded credit mechanisms and policies up to hundreds of billions of Vietnam Dong, contributing to supporting investment in production and business, creating jobs for hundreds of thousands of workers, and building housing (for poor households and low-income people), and clean water and environmental sanitation projects in rural areas(11), etc. The Government is interested in developing social housing, issuing a project to build at least 1 million apartments for low-income people, industrial park workers, and implementing a VND120 trillion credit package(12).

For children: Along with building and perfecting the law to protect children’s rights (Children’s Law 2016), the Party, the State, local authorities, organizations, and the community have been particularly attentive to implementing solutions to protect and care for children, achieving many important results. Children are cared for and protected from the threats of violence, abuse, exploitation, sexual abuse, threats to their lives and health, and are ensured a clean, healthy environment and living conditions for comprehensive development.

State agencies, social organizations, families, schools, and communities join hands to protect and take care of children based on legal provisions. Health care and nutritional for mothers and children are prioritized; Material conditions, schools, amusement parks, and cultural spaces for children are constantly invested in and upgraded to minimize disparities among regions, with priority given to areas with special difficulties in remote, border, and island areas.

The work of preventing and combating crimes in which children are victims, especially crimes related to sexual abuse, violence, and child trafficking, are effectively implemented. Many cases have been investigated, clarified, and handled appropriately according to the law, receiving approval and appreciation from the public.

For women: A highlight in protecting and ensuring the rights of vulnerable groups is seen in the achievements of implementing national policies and strategies on gender equality. Through the comprehensive implementation of propaganda measures to raise awareness among officials, party members, and the people about gender equality and women’s rights, combined synchronously with political, economic, labor, health, education, training, etc., the gender gap has gradually narrowed, creating conditions and opportunities for women fully participate fully and enjoy equality in all areas of social life, contributing to the sustainable development of the country.

Women have more access to support services when experiencing violence as provided by the law on gender equality, domestic violence prevention and control, and many other support models, such as shelters, safe houses, trusted addresses, and so on.

The detection, receipt of applications, letters, investigation, handling, and criminal prosecution of those who commit acts of violence against women are properly handled by the authorities. Many subjects who committed acts of abuse and attack against women were appropriately punished, gaining public approval and support.

For people with disabilities, the elderly; wounded veterans, sick soldiers, people with meritorious services to the revolution: These groups receive special care from the Party, the State and the whole society, demonstrating humanistic, and humanitarian values and good moral traditions of the nation. For people with disabilities and the elderly, the State has promulgated a monthly financial support policy and many other policies such as: The granting of health insurance cards; Support for education, training and vocational training (for people with disabilities), housing, etc., in according with the provisions of law. Agencies, departments, branches, associations, and unions also regularly have activities to visit and encourage them, thereby supporting and helping them overcome life’s difficulties.

The State has been and will continue to pay attention to effectively implementing policies for 9.2 million people with meritorious services, including relatives and families of over 1.2 million martyrs; nearly 140,000 Vietnamese heroic mothers, over 800,000 wounded soldiers and people receiving similar policies like invalids; nearly 600 thousand sick soldiers; Over 320 thousand resistance activists were infected with toxic chemicals and their children, etc., over 1.2 million people with meritorious services and the relatives of people with meritorious services are enjoying monthly preferential policies(13). In 2022, the State provided people with meritorious services and their relatives with 4.7 trillion VND(14).

The movements “Repaying gratitude”, “When drinking water, remember the source”, “All people take care of families of war invalids, martyrs and people with meritorious services to the revolution”, building houses of gratitude, giving charity, saving books, repairing and upgrading martyrs’ memorials, etc., are increasingly becoming regular activities of party committees, government bodies at all levels, and mass organizations, attracting the participation of the entire society.

From the results and achievements attained, it can be seen that our Party and State have always paid attention to, cared for, protected and continuously improved all aspects of life for disadvantaged groups in society. These results also reflect important contribution from the help and support of international friends, international organizations, foreign non-governmental organizations in Vietnam, the support of organizations, individuals and the entire people towards disadvantaged groups.

Besides the achieved results, practical implementation also shows that there are limitations and inadequacies that need to be addressed. Such as limited awareness and ability of disadvantaged groups to access social resources for development, especially access to policies, laws and the ability to enjoy benefits. The State’s support policy for disadvantaged groups particularly in difficult areas, remote areas, border areas, and islands whose lives depend heavily on natural conditions and are often affected by the consequences of natural disasters such as storms, floods, landslides, droughts, etc., have not significantly contributed to fundamentally changing the quality of people’s lives. In addition, some organizations and individuals take advantage of the name of protecting human rights for disadvantaged groups to conduct activities against the Party and the State.

In the coming time, the world and regional political situation will continue to experience complex developments; The global economy faces many potential risks and difficulties, impacting various aspects of Vietnam.

Domestically, the economy has developed but still not stable, with many complex social problems that have arisen but have not been promptly identified and resolved, directly and comprehensively impacting disadvantaged groups. Hostile and reactionary forces are increasing their activities to take advantage of democracy and human rights issues to entice people in difficult, disadvantaged, and ignorant situations to carry out activities of sabotage against the Party and the State.

4. Some solutions to ensure the living conditions of disadvantaged groups in society

Firstly, continue to research and unify understanding of disadvantaged groups as a basis for information, propaganda, identification, review, and building a population database by specific groups to serve the development and planning of guidelines, policies and laws towards this group of subjects.

Improve mechanisms and policies for disadvantaged groups in society, especially mechanisms and policies to protect the rights of children, women, people with disabilities, policies for people with meritorious services to the revolution, policies on social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, social assistance, relief... in sync with socio-economic development policies.

Build, manage and effectively use social security resources and policies that are sustainable, synchronous, and focused, with priority given to policies for people with meritorious service, the poor people, and disabled people; ensure conditions for people in disadvantaged groups to access and enjoy the benefit from social resources and policies.

Secondly, prioritize propaganda work to raise awareness and ensure timely and complete access information, especially guidelines and policies directly related to the rights and interests of disadvantaged groups.

Improve the prevention, response, and handling of natural changes and impacts, such as natural disasters, floods, and landslides, for the entire population and especially disadvantaged groups. Propagate and raise the awareness of disadvantaged groups to be vigilant against the distorted arguments of hostile forces under the guise of “protecting the rights of disadvantaged groups”, activities that entice, connect, gather together, and incite people in difficult circumstances to participate in illegal activities, causing political, economic, social security, and order consequences.

Thirdly, stimulate the spirit of patriotism, compassion, traditional values, and the precious ethic of the nation such as “when drinking water, remember the source”, “mutual love”, “good leaves cover tattered leaves”, etc., to mobilize the participation and contribution of the entire people, the entire society together with the State in caring for, supporting and helping people in difficult circumstances. Promote the pioneering role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and mass organizations in launching and maintaining charitable, humanitarian movements, and building social welfare funds to contribute to help and support disadvantaged people stabilize their lives.

Mobilize the participation of businesses in general and create mechanisms and policies to support the development of social enterprises, contributing to solving social and environmental problems for the benefit of the community. Summarize and replicate advanced models and exemplary actions with high creativity, contributing to supporting and helping people in disadvantaged groups.

Fourthly, pay attention to economic development policies, vocational training, creating stable jobs, and increasing income for workers in disadvantaged groups. There is a comprehensive solution, synchronously connecting national strategies, programs and goals, targeting disadvantaged groups, such as: The National target program for sustainable poverty reduction; Building new rural areas; Socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021 - 2025; The National strategy for crime prevention and control for the period 2016 - 2025 and orientation to 2030; The National strategy for natural disaster prevention and control until 2030, vision to 2050; The National strategy on climate change until 2050; The National strategy on gender equality for the period 2021 - 2030; The Project to build a national database on social security, applying information technology to solve social security policies by 2020 and development orientation to 2030, and so on.

Fifthly, strengthen international cooperation, mobilize external resources, support and assistance from international organizations, Vietnamese people abroad, especially from foreign non-governmental aid sources, to serve socio-economic development, reducing pressure and difficulties in many regions and localities, promoting sustainable hunger eradication and poverty reduction. Promote people-to-people diplomacy activities, advocacy, cooperation, and attraction of foreign non-governmental aid, ensuring harmony in all three areas of economy, security, and foreign affairs. Aim to practically support the poor in terms of capital, experience, knowledge of hunger eradication, sustainable poverty reduction, enhancing capacity to prevent and respond to climate change and other non-traditional security issues; activities of humanitarian relief when natural disasters, storms and floods occur, providing credit; Investing in the construction of socio-economic infrastructure in rural areas.

5. Conclusion

In recent years, the attention from the Party, the State, various levels and sectors, and the cooperation of the entire society has made important contributions to better care, better protecting, and assurance of the rights of people of different disadvantaged groups. In the face of the comprehensive and profound impacts from the globalization process, the negative side of the market mechanism, non-traditional security factors, etc., on the public in general, including disadvantaged groups, it is necessary to continue to synchronously and effectively deploy solutions. These solutions range from raising awareness, summarizing theoretical and practical experiences, to addressing political, economic, cultural, social, security, foreign relations, and so on.

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Received: January 26, 2024; Revised: March 10, 2024; Approved for publication: March 22, 2024.

Endnotes:

(1) Such as: United Nations Charter on Human Rights 1945; Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948; Vienna Declaration and Program of Action 1993; United Nations Millennium Declaration of 2000; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966.

(2), (3), (4), (5) CPV: Documents of the National Party Congress in the renovation period, part II (National Party Congresses X, XI, XII), National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2019, pp.430, 677, 678-679, 679.

(6), (7) CPV: Documents of the 13th National Party Congress, vol.I, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2021, p.150, 191-192.

(8) https://nhandan.vn/viet-nam-quyet-tam-thuc-hien-muc-tieu-xoa-doi-giam-ngheo-post722746.html.

(9), (10), (14) General Statistics Office: Statistical Yearbook 2022, Statistics Publishing House, Hanoi, 2022, p.18, 18, 19.

(11), (12) https://vneconomy.vn/ca-nuoc-con-hon-1-9-trieu-ho-ngheo-da-chieu.htm

(13) http://dukcqtw.dcs.vn/xay-dung-va-thuc-hien-chinh-sach-che-do-doi-voi-nguoi-co-cong-voi-cach-mang-duk15652.aspx.