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| Overview of the event |
The event sets the stage for collaboration between relevant agencies to bring positive changes to disadvantaged communities.
The event was attended by more than 100 delegates from the People’s Committee of Ha Giang, People’s Committee of Hoa Binh, People’s Committee of Quang Tri, Irish Embassy in Vietnam, Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs, National Assembly’s Ethnic Council, Vietnam Women’s Union, and provincial, district and commune-level agencies where the program would be implemented with leaders and staff of the three organizations of Plan, CARE and RIC at two venues located in Ha Giang city, Ha Giang province and Dong Ha city, Quang Tri province.
The second phase of Reaching The Furthest Behind program, with sponsorship from the Irish Embassy in Vietnam, is expected to be implemented from September 2023 to August 2028.
The program aims to improve the quality of life of vulnerable ethnic minorities in 06 communes of Dakrong and Huong Hoa districts of Quang Tri province; 4 communes of Da Bac and Lac Son districts, Hoa Binh province and 5 communes of Xin Man and Vi Xuyen districts, Ha Giang province.
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Seán Farrell - Deputy Head of Mission, Irish Embassy in Vietnam, shared about Ireland's development strategy in Vietnam, as well as expectations for this program: "This is one of Ireland's most important programs in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. The program contributes to the implementation of Vietnam’s national targeted programs for mountainous areas and ethnic minority communities. The program's objectives are consistent with the priority areas of the Mission Strategy of the Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam. The program builds on Ireland's long history of supporting ethnic minority communities and vulnerable groups in Vietnam."
Mr. Hoang Gia Long, Standing Vice Chairman of Ha Giang Provincial People's Committee, said: “In Ha Giang's international integration strategy to 2023, with a vision to 2030, Ha Giang always maintains cooperation with Embassies in Vietnam, foreign non-governmental organizations, international foundations and countries that have friendly relations with Vietnam, to promote the image of and products locally made in Ha Giang, as well as to call for resources to solve problems such as: negative impacts of climate change, employment gap, hunger and poverty, for especially poor communes in remote areas, areas where ethnic minorities live.”
Ms. Le Quynh Lan, Acting Country Director of Plan International Vietnam, emphasized: “With support from the Irish government and people, Plan, Care and RIC have joined forces, accompanying local authorities and people to successfully implement the inception phase of the program. Thanks to that, the Embassy has committed to funding the program over the next 5 years, to bring about sustainable changes to disadvantaged communities and mountainous areas. We hope that through this program, ethnic minority communities, especially girls, people with disabilities and women in 15 especially difficult communes of Quang Tri, Hoa Binh and Ha Giang, will be empowered to respond and adapt to climate change. They will also improve their positions in families, communities and society. The program will also contribute to the commitment to support 2 million girls to learn, lead, decide and thrive enshrined in Plan International Vietnam's 5-year strategy for the period 2020-2025.”
Mr. Le Van Hai, Director of RIC Center, discussed more about the program's approach: "The program will be implemented with a community-centered approach. Communities propose initiatives, establish plans and manage the construction and maintenance of micro-infrastructures. With this approach, communities will have increased capacity and ownership to implement local development initiatives to improve their living conditions.”
In addition to direct intervention at grassroots levels, networking and experience sharing will be facilitated with partner agencies at the national level. Ms. Le Kim Dung, Country Director of CARE in Vietnam, said: “The Reaching The Furthest Behind program aims to promote policy implementation and strengthen cooperation with central agencies. We wish to contribute to support the effective implementation of the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, along with other programs, building capacity and facilitating conditions for disadvantaged communities to respond and adapt to external changes as well as climate change, and improve their living conditions"./.