2010年-世界发展银行全球_Vietnam___Governance_and_Administration_of_Social_Assistance_-_A_Rapid_Assessment_and_Options_for_Reform_14页_633kb

Summary of "Vietnam: Governance and Administration of Social Assistance – A Rapid Assessment and Options for Reform"

Core Content

Vietnam's social assistance system is part of a broader social security and poverty reduction framework, which includes social insurance, geographically targeted development programs, and household-targeted anti-poverty initiatives. The current social assistance program is governed by Decrees 67 and 13, which define eligibility criteria and benefit levels. Social assistance is non-contributory and targets vulnerable groups such as orphans, the elderly, disabled individuals, and poor single parents.

Main Points

• Program Scope: Social assistance under Decrees 67 and 13 is designed to address chronic poverty and vulnerability among those unable to support themselves through employment. It is not intended to provide support for income shocks.
• Beneficiary Categories: The program includes orphans, children without parental care, elderly living alone, people aged 85+ without pensions, disabled individuals, and poor single parents. The number of beneficiaries increased from 416,000 in 2005 to around one million in 2008.
• Benefit Levels: Benefits vary between VND 180,000 and 540,000 per month. Decree 13 increased benefit levels and introduced one-time emergency assistance in response to shocks.
• Program Expansion: The Social Security Strategy 2011–2020 aims to expand social assistance to cover all vulnerable groups and develop it into a guaranteed minimum income program. This requires stronger governance and administrative structures.
• Delivery Mechanisms: Social assistance is delivered at the commune/ward level, with payments typically made by local officials. The system is largely manual, leading to inefficiencies and high administrative costs.
• Roles and Responsibilities: Four levels of government are involved in the administration of social assistance, with the national level setting policies, provinces managing budgets, districts handling payments, and communes selecting beneficiaries and verifying data.

Key Information

Institutional Structure

Challenges

• Administrative Capacity: Social officers at lower levels face high workloads and limited training opportunities, leading to inefficiencies and lack of specialization.
• Budget Constraints: There is a lack of dedicated administrative budgets for social assistance, forcing local officials to use other funds or charge beneficiaries for administrative costs.
• Information Management: There is no unified beneficiary registry, and data is often stored manually, leading to inconsistencies and loss of records.
• Eligibility Criteria: Categorical targeting is used, but it lacks precision and may result in exclusion of some vulnerable groups. There is a need for more income-based targeting as the program expands.

Proposed Reforms

• Systematization and Professionalization: Strengthening the administrative system and professionalizing social work roles is essential for handling the growing number of beneficiaries.
• Electronic Systems: Introducing electronic payment and record-keeping systems can improve transparency, reduce errors, and lower administrative costs.
• Training and Capacity Building: Enhancing training for social officers and developing job descriptions will help in aligning incentives and improving service delivery.
• Integrated Database: Developing a centralized and updated database of beneficiaries would support better monitoring, planning, and policy decisions.
• Income-Based Targeting: As the program expands, moving towards income-based targeting could ensure more accurate identification of those in need.

Conclusion

The current governance and administration of social assistance in Vietnam are basic and insufficient to handle the expected expansion of the program. While the system has strengths, such as community-based beneficiary selection and strong local engagement, it requires significant reforms to ensure efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness. These include professionalizing the workforce, improving information systems, and increasing the use of income-based targeting. The development of a modern social policy system will also require a broader expansion of social work skills and capacities at all levels of government.