56% of Poor Households in Vietnam Are Ethnic Minorities: UNDP

As many as 56% of poor households in Vietnam are ethnic minorities, the UN Development Program (UNDP) said at a meeting in Hanoi on Jan 29. Ethic people are facing difficulties in accessing fundamental services, including healthcare, safe water and education, the UNDP said at the event with the participation of representatives from the National Assembly’s Ethnic Council, the government’s Committee for Ethnic Affairs (CEMA) and the Irish Embassy in Vietnam. The post neonatal mortality rate (PNMR) among ethnic women is double that among Kinh people while the malnutrition rate among ethnic people is 33%, compared to 15.3% nationwide. Their living environment in mountainous and remote areas is being threatened due to massive logging and natural disasters. Experts at the event called the government to issue more polices the will help improve livelihood of the ethnic community to narrow gap among the minorities. Vietnam has been criticized by rights groups for having policies prioritizing the Kinh people, which account for 85% of the country’s population. (Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam – Vietnam Economic Times Jan 30 p2, www.tapchicongsan.org.vn Jan 29)