Vietnam NGO Sector

This article is based on an article written for the NGO Handbook by Kate Perchuk titled "Vietnam and the Third Sector."

Currently non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Vietnam are as diverse as the programs and projects they implement. A large number are development organizations, but there are also NGOs concentrating on the environment, conservation, charity, relief, reconstruction and reconciliation. It is difficult to estimate with precision the number of NGOs in Vietnam. According to statistics reported in December 2006 by the United States International Grantmaking Council on Foundations, governmental reports and research, there are over 300 associations at the national level, 2,150 associations at the provincial level, 1,500 foundations and funds, and tens of thousands of NGOs at the grassroots levels.

Overview

Vietnam has a population of over 83 million (2005), the majority of whom live in rural areas and are dependent on agriculture for a living. Challenges in rural areas are numerous. Decades of conflict have left infrastructure underdeveloped or in disrepair. Land is in increasingly scarce supply and rural employment and income-generating opportunities are limited. As a result, urban migration is high, and the physical and social infrastructure of the major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are unable to support the population increase.

Further, Vietnam has been plagued by natural disasters. In recent years, typhoons, flooding and drought have devastated communities throughout the country causing high loss of life and damage to infrastructure. Hunger is a major problem in areas where storms and floods cripple rice production; child malnutrition in the highland areas is as high as 50 percent, and seasonal hunger is chronic in weather-vulnerable coastal areas.

Over the past 30 years, Vietnam has achieved significant progress, developing from a divided nation racked by war and devastation to one embracing economic and social reforms. Between 1990 and 2002, the poverty rate declined from 60 percent to 29 percent while per capita gross domestic product (GDP) doubled to US$ 430.

Most third sector activity in Vietnam is coordinated by two organizations: The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFLF) handles groups formed by citizens on a voluntary basis aimed to contribute to socio-economic development of the country; the Government Committee for Organization and Personnel administrates professional and business organizations. The VFLF, founded in 1955 by initiation of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is a broad alliance and voluntary federation of socio-political organizations representing the various social classes and strata, ethnic groups and religions. The goal of the VFLF is to unite all third sector organizations for socio-economic development of the country. Besides the VFLF at the central level, there are 61 provincial, 662 district and 10,511 commune Fatherland Fronts that coordinate all third sector and philanthropic organizations at their relevant levels.

History

International nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) have been active in Vietnam primarily since the mid-1950s, having arrived in response to the turmoil caused by the First Indochina War (1946-1954). According to a 2001 report commissioned by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Resource Center, in the early 1970s some 63 INGOs worked in Vietnam. In the years up until 1975, the number increased, with 20 to 30 INGOs providing humanitarian support and relief to those in need on both sides of the Vietnam War (1959-1975).

In 1977, the International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity (CIDSE, which originally stood for International Cooperation for Socio-Economic Development), a working group of 13 Catholic development agencies, began a program in Vietnam that was extended to Cambodia in 1979 and Laos in 1981; CIDSE was the first INGO since the embargo to install a representative in Hanoi. CIDSE, which had begun a program in Vietnam as early as 1977, initially provided emergency aid and supported national recovery programs in the country in the wake of the American War The Program initially provided emergency aid and supported national reconstruction projects. Since then, political and economic changes in the three countries have allowed CIDSE to increasingly focus on community-based development, supporting local people's efforts to eliminate poverty and bring about a just society. In 1979, the Vietnam Ministry of Finance established AIDRECEP to facilitate assistance from foreign organizations, including INGOs.

Up until 1986, INGOs’ support focused on humanitarian relief. But by the end of 1986, the Communist Party of Vietnam initiated a policy of Doi Moi or Renovation. This change coincided with the collapse of the former socialist countries of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe; as a result, these countries substantially reduced their support for Vietnam’s development. This change created new possibilities for INGOs wishing to support Vietnam and many renewed efforts to have representatives in the country. By 1988, the effects of Doi Moi had begun, including increased interest from foreign investors.

In 1989, The People's Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM) of VUFO was established to work as a focal agency for INGOs. PACCOM’s main functions are to act as a bridge between INGOs and Vietnamese partners and localities; facilitate INGO activities and assist local partners in their relations with INGOs; gather and share information concerning INGO activities in Vietnam; and recommend to the Government proper policies for INGOs in Vietnam. PACCOM is also responsible for processing permits for INGOs, who are requested to register with the Committee for NGO Affairs through PACCOM. In the early 1990s, the Vietnamese Government gave American Friends Service Committee (SFSC), ActionAid, CARE, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Oxfam Belgique permission to open offices in Hanoi and actively encouraged other INGOs to establish a presence within the country.

Throughout the 1990s, the number of INGOs working with Vietnam steadily increased. This growth was greatest during the mid 1990s but has since leveled off. According to VUFO, in 2001, close to 500 INGOs were registered with PACCOM, 350 of which were currently active with partners and programs. The other nearly 150 non-active INGOs have at some point provided assistance or relief. An estimated 157 of the 350 have offices or work-stations in Vietnam. VUFO also notes in its report that roughly 35 percent of the organizations listed in its NGO directory come from North America (United States and Canada), 35 percent from Europe, approximately 8 percent from Asia (Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand), and 7 percent from Australia and New Zealand. In addition there are INGOs from other countries and INGOs who are described as “international.”

Following Doi Moi, the Government began to develop a legal framework for foreign organizations wanting to work in Vietnam. The Government’s early legal framework and legislative environment had not included the new phenomenon of INGOs. This created challenges that may have led to misunderstandings and occasional mistrust. For INGOs, difficulties included obtaining visas, defining administrative procedures, meeting other INGOs, working at the community level, and visiting remote areas.

In 1992, INGOs in Hanoi sent a proposal to PACCOM, addressing the need for better sharing of information. As a result, in 1993, the VUFO NGO Resource Centre was established.

In 1996, the Committee for NGO Affairs was formed; in July 2000, it was disbanded in line with public administrative reform. The role of VUFO and PACCOM did not change. The Government Committee on Organization and Personnel (GCOP) is increasingly becoming the central agency responsible for emerging local NGOs and is taking the lead in developing appropriate regulations. Thus, administrative responsibilities for international NGOs and local NGOs are now separated. This has led some INGOs to question the value of their previous support to agencies other than GCOP when those INGOs were trying to increase Vietnamese understanding of INGOs roles in other countries.

INGO programs are active in all 61 provinces of Vietnam. Their activities reach an estimated 420 out of 600 Districts. According to PACCOM “more INGOs are coming to work in more remote provinces that previously saw little or no INGO activity…” Some INGOs have been expanding, others have been consolidating. Another trend as noted above has been away from urban areas to poorer, more remote and mountainous locations.

Laws

According to a 2005 paper written for the Global Policy Forum, the legal framework for the third sector in Vietnam is constantly evolving to keep pace with the challenging role that the government has set for civil society. Individual decrees relating to different elements of civil society have been issued. These decrees/laws provide the basis for the establishment of civil organizations that operate relatively independent of the state. However, these ad hoc regulations do not add up to a comprehensive and clear legal framework for the formation and operation of NGOs. This is also an indication that the issue of “independent” civil society organizations remains political sensitive. Broadly, there are five important decree/laws currently in existence, which govern different elements of civil society organizations in Vietnam. The laws and decrees show clarity of purpose for cooperatives, community-based organizations (CBOs) and charities. The Grassroots Democracy Decree 79 (2003) institutionalizes the participation of local communities/CBOs/organizations of the poor in development activities at the level of the commune. This is seen as an important step in the development of civil society in Vietnam. The law on Cooperatives recognizes cooperatives as voluntary organizations functioning as independent economic entities. The law on Science and Technology recognizes professional associations as independent service organizations with the only option available to most development NGOs. The decree 177 recognizes charity and social funds. Lastly, the law on Associations is currently under revision by the NGO Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is hoped that the law, which is in its 10th draft, will define the concept of NGOs along with their role, function and management arrangements. The only option currently available to development NGOs is to be registered under the law on science and technology. This requires them to justify and link their existence and operation to science and technology.

Environment

Since the late-1980s, Southeast Asia has been undergoing increasingly rapid economic change and progress. At the same time, there has been a sharp rise in natural resource degradation. It is now a growing concern among policy-makers, bureaucrats, academics and, not least, lay people. One of the important phenomena underscoring the rising environmental concerns and the changes in the socio-political landscapes of Mainland Southeast Asia is the emergence of locally based NGOs, many of which are increasingly devoted to conservation and natural resource management.

The Vietnam Environment and Sustainable Development Institute (VESDI) is an NGO institution belonging to the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE), a national NGO of scientists, managers, technicians and other people devoted to environmental protection in Vietnam. VESDI was founded based on the Vietnam Environment and Sustainable Development Center (VNESDC), which was established earlier in 1995. The founders of VESDI believe that Vietnam is entering a period of intensive economic growth, characterized by rapid industrialization, modernization and urbanization. This development process will create the foundation for improved living standards and basis for further development of the country. Yet, it will also put great pressure on natural resources and the quality of living environment of all people in Vietnam, both in rural and urban areas. VESDI was created in response to this challenge.

Environmental Development Action (ENDA) Vietnam is an NGO that focuses on the development field. The primary focus of ENDA's work is community development, poverty reduction, and environmental improvement in both urban and rural contexts.

Within this context, ENDA collaborates with poor and disadvantaged communities, specific target groups, and with ethnic minority communities. ENDA has a commitment to ongoing investigation and replication of more sustainable development at all levels. This is achieved through the implementation of diverse operational, training and networking programs with various stakeholders in the community.

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has been active in Vietnam since 1978. Early programs concentrated on assisting the country with the development of its rural infrastructure. UNCDF assistance to Vietnam began with a small project to provide funds for machinery that the government needed to construct a dam. As its programs evolved toward supporting the institutions and organizations that make development possible, UNCDF began placing more emphasis on assisting the government with its efforts to develop improved participatory approaches to development planning, establish improved and transparent procedures for procuring public goods and transferring the responsibilities and resources for rural development to the lowest levels of public administration.

Health Sector

INGOs in Vietnam are active in a wide array of health-related fields and at very different levels. According to VUFO’s NGO Directory, one hundred INGOs are involved in health in addition to 100 more NGOs that have health-related activities in community development programs. NGOs have increasingly become involved in promotion, education and research on different issues of public health. According to the Asia Pacific Philanthropic Consortium (APPC), the most active NGOs include the Centre for Reproductive and Family Health, the Centre of Public Health and Development, the Supporting Centre for HIV/AIDS/STDs Infected People, the Research and Training Centre for Community Development, and the Market and Development Research Centre.

Children have always held an important place in the culture and traditions of Vietnam, making up 41 percent of the country’s population. Vietnam was the first country in Asia and the second in the world to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). UNICEF has been in Vietnam since 1975; with most significant progress occurring after 1986 when the shift to a market economy loosened restrictions of INGOs. According to the organization, under five and infant mortality rates have decreased significantly, a high immunization coverage has been achieved as well as a high primary school enrolment rate and expanding access to safe drinking water. However, while these trends are encouraging, a number of factors place these achievements at risk: UNICEF statistics note that 29 percent of the population continues to live in poverty; around 95 percent of the poor live in rural areas and enormous disparities in poverty are observed across Vietnam’s 64 provinces and major urban areas. Malnutrition continues to affect around a third of children under the age of five; there is limited sanitation and knowledge of hygiene in rural areas. Natural disasters are a continuing threat in many regions and preventable injuries are estimated to be the number one killer of children between the ages of one and sixteen.

Almost 30,000 children die from injury each year in Vietnam. HIV/AIDS is a growing problem in Vietnam and is accompanied by widespread stigma and discrimination. It is estimated that around 300,000 children in Vietnam are affected by this epidemic. This includes children with HIV positive parents and those orphaned by AIDS.

Rapid economic growth has been accompanied by urbanization and labor migration with adolescents disproportionately represented among urban migrants. This phenomenon has led to an increase in the number of children in need of special protection from economic and sexual exploitation, drug abuse and HIV/AIDS.

In Vietnam, UNAIDS works to support the response of the government to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. UNAIDS helps to coordinate HIV/AIDS-related activities undertaken by the UN system and other international agencies, including bilateral donor agencies, international NGOs and others. Among those are: CARE, CRS, Family Health Intl. (FHI), Medecins du Monde (Canada & France), Save the Children (U.K. & U.S.), World Population Fund (WPF), and World Vision.

Human Rights

According to a 2005 report by The U.S. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, violence and discrimination against women and children remain significant issues in Vietnam. Child prostitution, trafficking in women and children for the purpose of forced prostitution within the country and abroad and trafficking of women to China and Taiwan for forced marriages are still widely reported. Discrimination against some ethnic minorities continues to be a problem.

Many gender equality efforts are implemented by the Vietnam Women’s Union, a mass organization for women that conducts programs aimed at promoting women’s equality with men. A National Plan for the Advancement of Women establishes a target for increasing women’s representation in elected bodies, and the government has also adopted a procedure to monitor legislation to ensure conformity with international treaty law. The National Committee for the Advancement of Women was established in 1993 to implement the National Plan of Action developed for the Fourth World Conference for Women in Beijing.

As Vietnam continues its integration into the world economy, the INGO community is in a better position to influence and liberalize aspects of social life and civil society in the country.

Trends and the Future

The broad-based political organization of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) combined with the tradition of a one party state traditionally allowed for little space for growth of an independent civil society. The political discourse of the CPV was not supportive of organizational expression of collective identity and interest outside the framework of the Party. However, since doi moi the political and economic context in Vietnam is rapidly changing, characterized by a growing market economy and increased global integration. This has led to the emergence of social groupings outside the Party. It appears that since the mid-1990s the institutional environment appears to be shifting from a total state domination of development activity to an acceptance of the contribution of other development actors, that in general, Vietnam can be described as characterized by a low but increasing tolerance of autonomous civil activity.

According to the Global Policy Forum’s 2005 report, there are two broad trends: Growth of development NGOs and a mushrooming of associations – voluntary, non-profit, nongovernmental, community-based, grassroots and cooperative.

The current relationship between government and civil society in terms of CBOs and NGOs appears to be shifting from a total state domination of development activity to an acceptance of the contribution that other players may bring. The Socio-Economic Development Strategy (2000-2010) and the draft Socio-Economic Development Plan (2006-2010) reflect this changing context and suggest that civil society organizations may have a more mainstream role to play in the development of the Vietnam.