HANOI (ILO News) – The 2017-21 framework of ILO-Viet Nam cooperation for promoting decent work produced remarkable results by the middle of 2019, heard its review workshop in Hanoi on 17 July.

Launched in 2017 by the ILO and its tripartite partners – the Government, workers and employers’ organizations, the third Viet Nam’s Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) set out three country priorities to address in the next five years. They include promoting decent employment and an enabling environment for sustainable entrepreneurship opportunities; reducing poverty by extending social protection for all and reduce unacceptable forms of work, especially for the most vulnerable; and building effective labour market governance compliant with fundamental principles and rights at work.

Working in partnership with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Viet Nam Cooperative Alliance and the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour, the ILO has offered support through policy advice, capacity building and technical cooperation to open opportunities for women and men to gain access to better jobs and participate in the decisions that affect their lives.

So far, considerable achievements have been recorded. The draft revised Labour Code submitted to the National Assembly, first diagnosis report on informal economy in Viet Nam, new national survey on child labour, technical support provided for the country’s social insurance and wage reforms, and progress in applying new models for promoting collective bargaining and social dialogue are some notable results among others. Particularly, Viet Nam has ratified three ILO conventions, including fundamental Convention 98 on collective bargaining (ratified on 5 July 2019), and two technical conventions namely Convention 88 on employment service and Convention 159 on employment for people with disabilities.

“After nearly two years of implementation, the DWCP has yielded encouraging results in all of the three strategic priorities set out by tripartite partners and the ILO,” said Director of MOLISA’s Institute for Labour Studies and Social Affairs, Dao Quang Vinh.

While praising Viet Nam for the achievements, ILO Viet Nam Director Chang-Hee Lee also reminded the country of the hurdles which need to be overcome.

“Productivity, quality, competitiveness and sustainability; human resources development; employment and green job, especially for young people; social protection and effective application of international labour standards, labour market governance are key areas that need to be taken into consideration by policy makers and the public”, he said.

He added that according to the DWCP assessment’s experts, the priorities of the programme remain relevant for tripartite partners to continue their efforts to achieve expected results by 2021. However, as its mid-term review coincided with the period when the Vietnamese Government is looking back at the 2016-20 national socio-economic development plan and strategy and starting to develop the strategy for the new period of 2021-30, it is an important opportunity to highlight decent work as a priority in the country’s sustainable development agenda.

According to the ILO, decent work is defined as “productive work for women and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity”. It provides a balanced and integrated programmatic approach to pursuing the objectives of full and productive employment, of an acceptable quality, at the global, regional, national, sectorial and local levels. It comprises four pillars – standards and rights at work; employment creation and enterprise development; social protection; governance and social dialogue.

“Decent work for all is a very meaningful slogan and mandate. Therefore, getting more people to know about the DWCP and participate in the initiative is our target,” said Director General of MOLISA’s International Cooperation Department, Nguyen Manh Cuong.