Vietnam: Saemaul Initiative towards ISNC

1. Ministry of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs Vietnam: Saemaul Initiative towards ISNC Contents: Overview of project Achievements Challenges Recommendations Presented by Mr. Minh Huu Doan, Head of Division, MOLISA, Vietnam

2. I. Overview of Vietnam ISNC project Overall objective To facilitate“Vietnamization” of the (Korean) Saemaul Undong (SU) approach; and then set up mechanisms for nationwide visionary leadership of the approach, through political advocacy, sharing of best practices, and pilot implementation of a tailored training and public communication programs based on SU principles, aimed at social capital accumulation and building a social movement for self-reliant and sustainable rural development in Viet Nam.

3. I. Overview of Vietnam ISNC project • Output 1.Policy advocacy and policy reformsupport to enhance government commitment, coordination and investment to promote a social movement for self-reliant and sustainable rural development and poverty reduction in Viet Nam. • Output 2. Development of effective tools and channels for strengthening leadership capacity at different levels for adaptation, scaling up and institutionalization of the SU self-help and community mobilization principles and best practices in the national targeted programsfor sustainable poverty reduction and new rural development.

4. II. Achievements 1. Policy advocacy 1.1 Commitment at highest policy level of the country: President Truong Tan Sang’s participation in the UN General Assembly side event on ISNC in September 2015.

5. II. Achievements 1. Policy advocacy (cont.) 1.2. Enabling environment for formulating and strengthening institutional arrangements/legal framework. Policy makers (the Government, National Assembly, Party’s Committees) are well-informed of self-reliance spirit, community leadership for possible application in rural development and poverty reduction, by: • Short and sharp concept note/message on ISNC shared at high level policy dialogues and other channels; • Experience sharing for policy makers (in-out of Viet Nam); • Communication via mass media (VOV, VTV, newspapers); • Regular meetings with key Government officials (ministerial level).

8. II. Achievements 2. ISNC piloted in NTPs 2011-2015 implementation • Good practices identified, supported at local levels and consolidated for review and formulation of new NTPs 2016-2020; • Networks (incl. capacity building) of communities, local/central government agencies, private sector, CSOs for supporting community driven initiatives formulated; • Community leadership skills development: training materials; TOT for local officers and community leaders; 3. ISNC institutionalized in National Targeted Programs (NTP) on Sustainable Poverty Reduction (SPR) at Decision 1722, Sep 2nd 2016, by Prime Minister • Budget: NTP-SPR US$ 2.1 billion (plus US$ 8.6 billion for NRD at Decision 1600 and contributions by the beneficiaries); • For the first time, promote self-help, self resilience and supportive/ISNC for the poor to escape from poverty by themselves; Minimize subsidy, replacing by loans; Place poor people, ethnic minorities as the Program’s partners, not passive beneficiaries.

9. II. Achievements • Hand over decentralization, empowerment to grassroots level; apply financial block grant in long term and medium term; maximine community owership, strengthen the participation of communities and local people into targeting, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the program results; Apply results-based monitoring and evaluation framework; Harmonize one mechanism and procedure all projects of the Program. • Develop PR plan in connection to participatory socio-economic development planning; Integrate resources, market, gender equity, mitigation of natural risks and climate change into planning process, which needs to be relevant to local potential, culture and customs in different communities or areas (anthropological approach). • Has a separate capacity building and communication component, focusing on CB for local officers, community leaders and villagers.

10. III. Lessons learnt – success factors • In line with the context/culture of Viet Nam for thousands years; • Good timing: Resolution 76/2014 of the National Assembly on accelerating sustainable poverty reduction till 2020 - favorable conditions for promoting community development, and lessons learnt from previous NTPs implementation; • A sound implementation approach: not creating new things, but institutionalizing ISNC into current country’s policies/guidelines; combining lessons learnt from Korea and best practices in VN, then testing at local level before replicating nationwide; • A wide consensus (central-local and relevant partners) on ISNC achieved via a number of activities and various communication events and channels (television, radio and newspapers) provided by senior/well-known experts and/or high level policymakers. • Sound documentation – short and sharp easily readable and understandable, eye-catching materials.

11. IV. Challenges • The process of building a consensus on the key principles and elements of ‘Vietnamized ISNC’ (aimed at reforming the long lasting GoV mechanism), starting from June 2015, took longer time and more efforts than planned; • It is difficult to promote ISNC in disadvantaged areas (poor, mountainous, ethnic minorities, isolated), addressing the pocket of poverty (more time-consuming and expensive); • Although the project is progressing well with engaging national policymakers, translating policy directions into NTP principles and interventions, NTPs’ implementation capacity at community level remains an issue to be addressed (where TA is needed).

12. V. Recommendations for next steps • Continued technical assistance to ensure ISNC elements are inclusive during 2016-2020 NTPs implementation: reviewing/adjustment of relevant policies/legal documents, implementation guidelines, setting up M&E system…; • Community leadership training programme: finalization of training materials and TOT (follow up of current ISNC projects in VN); • Center of Excellency: Innovative/Vietnamized tailor-made ISNC models in SPR and NRD consolidated, documented, shared nationwide and with other countries for possible replication.

13. Thank you!