(VOVworld) - Despite numerous challenges and difficulties caused by the global economic crisis in 2012, the Vietnamese government paid special attention to social security. As a result, people’s incomes were ensured through support programs for employment, poverty reduction and social insurance. People have been helped to access basic social services in housing, health care, education and clean water.

The poverty reduction policy plays a key role in ensuring social security because the gap between the rich and the poor has increased during the process of national development. According to the General Statistics Office, by December last year, total funding for social security and poverty reduction in 2012 was 422 million USD. The government accelerated programs and policies to generate jobs, increase incomes and reduce poverty. The poverty rate in Vietnam in 2012 was about 10%, down 1.76% from 2011. The reduction required  a great effort amidst economic difficulties. In 2012, Vietnam generated more than 1.5 million jobs, slightly reducing the unemployment rate. The government has implemented unemployment insurance for hundreds of thousands of employees. Work in industrial zones remains stable and workers have received professional training. Pham Thi Hai Chuyen, Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs says: “The unemployment rate for youths in Vietnam is 3.8%. We have worked with the government to devise policies for job generation. In addition to the revised the Labor Code, we have submitted to the National Assembly a draft Law on Employment to generate more jobs. We have helped social organizations and the Youth Unions set up employment services for youths. Employment services in provinces have also been strengthened”.

Raising the minimum wage for government workers to 1.05 million dong per month after May, 2012 improved people’s lives. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), Vietnam achieved a relatively high wage growth compared to other countries- 26.8% for the yea. Adjusted for inflation, wages still increased 12.6%. Yoon Youngmo, Senior Expert in Labor Relations for the ILO in Vietnam says the Vietnamese government was successful in its minimum wage policy. “The government has been successful with minimum wage policy so far. Most of the workers in the private sectors receive higher level of wage than minimum wage. The policy has to be developed. The government in Vietnam is pacing strongly towards promoting the role and the well being of people, especially workers”, said Yoon Youngmo.

In 2012, 10.34 million Vietnamese people bought social insurances. Of these 10.2 million are compulsory social insurance holders, up 4.2%; 8.07 million participated in unemployment insurance, up 6.6%; and nearly 68% of the population bought health insurance, up 5% against 2011. Progress was made in health care, food safety, child protection and HIV/AIDS prevention and control. Thanks to government support, even poor people now have access to health care services.

Vietnam’s positive achievements in social security in 2012 will help the Vietnamese government successfully implement Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s goals for 2013, which focus on further reducing poverty and ensuring social security and welfare.