Veneman, on her first visit to Vietnam last week since assuming leadership of UNICEF in 2005, said the country was likely to be one of the first to achieve nearly all the millennium development goal (MDG) targets well ahead of the 2015 deadline.

“The country is on track to achieve its target of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, universal primary education, gender quality and environmental sustainability,” she said.

In addition, Vietnam achieved dramatic reductions in under-five mortality rates, from 53 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 19 in 2005, improved high primary school enrollment and completion rates and enhanced access to clean water.

During her visit, Veneman met with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Van Bang, Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Cao Viet Sinh and visited the Phap Van pagoda to see its faith-based work with people living with HIV.

“We had a very interesting meeting with the MPI, we set up an accurate data system which can show the situation of all provinces in Vietnam, especially provincial and district levels,” she said.

National Committee for Population, Family and Children vice chairwoman Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh said the Vietnamese Government was committed to strong child protection and socio-economic development strategies.
“This is one of the basic conditions for us to increase the living standards of children throughout the country, especially children in difficult circumstances,” Thinh said.

Veneman said some rural areas, especially those with ethnic minorities, have not seen significant economic progress.

While national poverty rates have fallen from 58 per cent in 1990 to 19.5 per cent in 2004, ethnic minority poverty levels remain close to 70 per cent.

About a quarter of all children under the age of five in Vietnam are underweight, but this number is as high as 40 per cent among ethnic minorities.

“We also agreed that we must pave the way to answer questions why the achievements have not been equivalent to all provinces,” she added.

Furthermore, within ethnic minorities, infant mortality rates are generally higher, child malnutrition rates vary from 14 per cent in Hanoi to 36 per cent in Kontum in the Central Highlands.

Maternal mortality rates are up to four times higher in remote areas.

The number of children in need of special protection in Vietnam, 2.6 million children, is also on the increase.

Source: Vietnam Investment Review