2009年-世界发展银行全球_Ethnic_Minority_Poverty_in_Vietnam_78页_1mb

Summary of Ethnic Minority Poverty in Vietnam

Core Content

This document presents a comprehensive analysis of ethnic minority poverty in Vietnam, highlighting the challenges that persist despite overall economic progress. It uses both monetary and non-monetary indicators to assess the living standards, nutritional status, and educational outcomes of ethnic minority groups compared to the majority Kinh-Hoa population.

Main Viewpoints

• Poverty Reduction Progress: While economic reforms have significantly reduced poverty among the Kinh and Hoa groups, ethnic minorities have lagged behind, with their poverty headcount decreasing from 86% in 1993 to 52% in 2006.
• Income Disparities: The per capita expenditure of ethnic minorities remains well below that of the Kinh-Hoa, with the Other Northern Uplands and Central Highland minorities being the poorest.
• Language Barrier: Ethnic minorities, particularly those in the Central Highlands and Other Northern Uplands, have lower Vietnamese language proficiency, which affects their access to employment, government services, and social transfers.
• Nutritional Status: Although Vietnam has made progress in reducing stunting, severe stunting and wasting rates among ethnic minorities have either remained the same or increased, especially for children under 24 months.
• Geographical and Social Factors: The geographical remoteness and socio-economic disadvantages of ethnic minority communities contribute significantly to their poor nutritional and educational outcomes.
• Educational Disparities: There are significant differences in education enrolment and drop-out rates among ethnic groups, with the Kinh-Hoa having much higher net enrolment rates (NER) at all levels, especially in upper secondary education.
• Policy Recommendations: The document suggests that promoting inclusive and geographically broad growth is essential to reduce the gap between ethnic minorities and the majority. It also recommends targeted interventions in nutrition, education, and employment to address these disparities.

Key Information

Monetary Indicators

• Poverty Headcount: Fell from 54% (Kinh-Hoa) to 10% in 1993–2006 for the majority population, while for ethnic minorities it fell from 86% to 52%.
• Expenditure Distributions: The Kinh-Hoa distribution shifted from below to above the poverty line, whereas the ethnic minorities' distribution remained below.
• Festival Expenditures: Ethnic minorities spend more on food during festivals, but less on other events such as weddings and funerals compared to the Kinh-Hoa.
• Expenditure Trends: The mean per capita expenditure of ethnic minorities has consistently been below that of the Kinh-Hoa, with the Other Northern Uplands and Central Highland minorities showing the most significant decline in relative position.

Non-Monetary Indicators

• Nutrition Indicators:

  • Stunting: Reduced for Kinh-Hoa by 7 and 16 percentage points, but increased for some ethnic minority groups.
  • Severe Stunting: Remained unchanged for some groups, but worsened for the Tay-Thai-Muong-Nung and Other Northern Uplands.
  • Wasting: Increased for several ethnic minority groups, especially among children under 24 months.
  • Micronutrient Deficiencies: High levels of Vitamin A, iron, selenium, and zinc deficiencies are reported among ethnic minorities, especially in mountainous regions.
  • Gender Differences: Boys tend to have worse nutritional outcomes than girls, especially in the first two years of life.

• Education Indicators:

  • Net Enrolment Rates (NER):
    • Primary School: Increased slightly for ethnic minorities, but remains lower than for the Kinh-Hoa.
    • Lower Secondary School: NER increased for all ethnic groups, but only a small proportion of ethnic minority children attend school in the appropriate age range.
    • Upper Secondary School: NER is significantly lower for ethnic minorities, with less than 10% of Khmer and Cham children attending.
  • School Dropouts: Most drop-outs occur during transitions between educational levels, with ethnic minorities disproportionately affected, especially in the Other Northern Uplands.

Policy Implications

• Inclusive Growth: Promoting growth that is geographically broad and socially inclusive is crucial to addressing the persistent disparities.
• Nutrition Interventions: Improving the nutrition of women before and during pregnancy, and of children in their first two years of life, is essential.
• Education Access: Enhancing access to education, particularly in remote areas, and addressing the language barrier are key to reducing educational disadvantages.
• Public Services: Ensuring that ethnic minorities have better access to government services and social transfers is important for their overall development.

Conclusion

Ethnic minority poverty in Vietnam remains a significant challenge, driven by a combination of socio-economic disadvantages, geographical remoteness, and language barriers. While there have been some improvements in living standards and nutrition, the disparities are still substantial, especially in education and health outcomes. Addressing these issues requires targeted and inclusive policies that take into account the specific needs of ethnic minority communities.