Viet Nam and the MDGs
Viet Nam has made very impressive progress towards achieving the MDGs and has been successful in meeting some of them – such as MDG 1 on eradication of extreme hunger and poverty – way ahead of the 2015 deadline. Viet Nam is on track to meet several other goals. At the same time, if Viet Nam is to achieve all the MDGs with equity, it is important that progress is sustained, that rising disparities are better targeted, that risks are anticipated and that remaining gaps are addressed.
MDG 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
Of all the MDGs, Viet Nam has made the most impressive progress on MDG 1 on poverty reduction. From a poverty rate of 58.1 percent in 1990, the country has successfully reduced poverty to an estimated rate of 14.5 percent in 2008 – a reduction of 75 percent. The food poverty rate has been reduced by more than two-thirds, from 24.9 per cent in 1993 to 6.9 per cent in 2008.
MDG 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
Viet Nam has made significant progress in achieving univeral primary education. In 2009, net enrollment in primary school was 97 per cent and 88.5 per cent of children who enter primary school complete five years of primary education. Of these, over 90 per cent continue to lower secondary education, with no significant differences between regions or between urban and rural areas. Viet Nam also shows good gender parity, with almost half the number of students being female in both primary and secondary education.
MDG 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Viet Nam has been very successful in increasing girls’ participation in education at primary and secondary levels. Girls now represent 48.2% of students enrolled at primary level, 48.1% at lower secondary level, and at upper secondary level 49.1%. And, at present, Viet Nam has one of the highest rates of representation of women in decision making in national parliament in the region: 25.8% of National Assembly deputies are women.
MDG 4: Reduce Child Mortality
Viet Nam has already achieved the targets for both under-five mortality and infant mortality, with both these rates being halved between 1990 and 2006. The infant mortality rate was reduced from 44.4 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 16 in 2009. The under-five mortality rate has also been reduced considerably, from 58 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 24.4 in 2009. Furthermore, the ratio of children under five who are underweight fell from 25.2 per cent in 2005 to 18.9 per cent in 2009.
MDG 5: Improve Maternal Health
Maternal mortality has declined considerably over the last two decades, from 233 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 69 per 100,000 live births in 2009, with approximately two thirds of this decrease related to safer pregnancy. Good progress has also been made in expanding access to quality reproductive health, including maternal and neonatal health; family planning; increased use of modern contraception; and establishment of stronger programmes, policies and laws for reproductive health and rights, as well as measures to provide quality services to the poor and other vulnerable groups.
MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases
Viet Nam has made significant improvements in the legal and policy framework in recent years, and has a sound national strategy and plans in place for responding to HIV. The HIV prevalence rate is estimated at 0.28 per cent for all age groups in 2010. The scope of anti-retroviral treatment has expanded from an estimated 30 per cent in 2007 to 53.7 per cent in 2009. Impressive progress on prevention and control of malaria shows that Viet Nam has already achieved the MDG target on malaria control. Viet Nam is also acknowledged to have done a good job in controlling other epidemics such as SARS, H5N1 and H1N1.
MDG 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Viet Nam has shown strong commitment to environmental concerns at the international and policy level, and significant achievements have been made in relation to MDG 7. For example, forest coverage has increased from 27.8 percent in 1990 to about 40 percent in 2010. Today, about 83 per cent of the rural population has access to safe water, up from 30 per cent in 1990.
MDG 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Poverty reduction and sustainable development are clearly linked to trade, debt relief and aid, better enabled by developing global partnerships. Viet Nam has made major strides in developing global partnerships for development since 2000, including assession to the World Trade Organization, expanded cooperation with ASEAN, a term as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (2008-2009), and involvement in a number of new free trade agreements. Ensuring social equity and sustainability of the country's development process will require continued and expanded partnerships in all areas in the coming years.