Vietnam’s southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City has a higher poverty rate than Hanoi although the city reports higher average income, showed the 2009 Urban Poverty Survey (UPS-09). The survey, which was conducted between Oct and Nov 2009, is part of a project to support assessment of urban poverty in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). This is Vietnam’s first poverty survey which bases on a multi-dimensional approach method, involving education, healthcare, job, income and expenditures, instead of the traditional method concerning only income and expenditures. The rate of secondary education universalisation in Hanoi is estimated at 90.2%, which is higher than HCM City with 74.1%. The literacy rate of Hanoi population is 98% against 95.8% in HCM City, the survey said. Up to 71.8% of Hanoians have health insurance cards while the rate is only 57.1% in Ho Chi Minh City. The rate of untrained workers in Hanoi is 50%, compared to over 70% in HCM City. UPS-09 also indicated that migrants account for over 11% of Hanoi’s total population and this group of population occupies 20% in Ho Chi Minh City. A migrant in the two cities earns an average income of over VND2 million per month, equivalent to 84% of a permanent resident. However, regarding income, Hanoi reports poverty rate at 4.6% , compared to 2.1% of HCM City, the report said, adding that Hanoi’s average per capita income is VND2.32 million ($118) monthly against VND2.44 million of HCM City. The survey is expected to help state agencies and municipal authorities assess urban poverty more accurately and support the two cities in building up their own mechanism to supervise the poverty for long-term measures, Hanoi’s Vice Mayor Hoang Manh Hien said at the launching ceremony. Meanwhile, UNDP Country Director Setsuko Yamazaki said the results also indicated that these cities are facing challenges of sustainable socio-economic development, namely inequalities in social service approach between permanent group and migrants. Yamazaki highlighted UNDP is ready to help Hanoi and HCM City supervise poverty situation and implement related policies. (Dantri.com Dec 16, Vietnam News Dec 16)
