The International Labor Organization (ILO) and Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) co-organized a seminar on August 14 to seek measures to better implement the ILO-Vietnam Decent Work Country Program (DWCP) in the 2012-16 period. Le Kim Dung, head of the International Cooperation Department under from the MoLISA, admitted that there remain many shortcomings during the one-year implementation of the DWCP, which aims to raise the quality of local workforce, to ensure social security and sustainable employment for vulnerable groups. Nguyen Ba Ngoc, deputy director of the Institute of Labor, Science and Social Affairs under the MoLISA, emphasized the need to perfect the legal and policy framework, operate a social dialogue mechanism, and establish a division to inspect and assess the implementation of the program’s goals. An ILO expert suggested that the country should enhance the linkage between policy makers and enforcement bodies to boost sustainable employment and give priority to making laws and policies related to employment and enhancing law enforcement capacity to raise the program’s effectiveness. Earlier, the ILO agreed to finance $4.56 million to support sustainable employment in Vietnam for the 2012-2016 period. According to the ILO, around 1.3 million Vietnamese are currently unemployed with over a half of them aged 15-24. Meanwhile around 69% of female workers and 54% of male workers are listed in the vulnerable group. (Thoi Bao Kinh Te Viet Nam – Economic Times Aug 15)
