Social issues under economic transformation and integration in Vietnam, Volume 1

Fast growth and integration has intensified social problems in Vietnam. New problems have also arisen. Rapidly urbanising areas are experiencing issues with street children, prostitution, and HIV/AIDS epidemic transmission. Nationally there are problems in the education system and social welfare, rising inequality, and in elderly populations. There are also issues of finding employment for the youth. Like other transformation countries Vietnam is also grappling with increasing corruption, environmental pollution, a land bubble and the decline of cultural and spiritual values.

This book from the Vietnam Development Forum presents studies and policy actions for these social issues. The papers in the book were revised in light of comments made at numerous workshops and conferences from within and outside Vietnam to give informed results. Suggestions made include:

• policies to help street children must be diversified to meet the needs of different types based on causes and situations. Counselling and continuous support is required in all cases and assistance in securing a stable job
  
• to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission peer clubs, skill-training classes, and personal counselling are needed to change attitudes and create good behaviours of safe sex amongst sex workers. Improvements should also be made in the networks of health care service, condom providing and women in difficulties
  
• policy efforts aimed at poverty reduction, employment promotion and income generation are needed to improve work and employability for Vietnamese youth. Strengthening the linkages between the education system and the labour market to minimise skill mismatches is also required
  
• social welfare policies need to be specific enough and take social and economic policies into considration to protect the elderly from risks under swift economic transformation