Vấn đề giới trong xóa đói giảm nghèo ở miền núi thái nguyên

Phi Hung Cudng vd dig Tap chi KHOA HOC & CONG NGHE 81(05): 79-83 GENDER ISSUES IN THE POVERTY REDUCTION IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS OF THAI NGUYEN Phi Hung Cuong'*, Vu Van Anh^ College of Sciences - TNU, 'College of Education - TNU SUMMARY Gender issues are closely related to poverty and development The annual reports on human development show that the poor provinces have low human development index and gender development index The given issues show that poverty and inequality are major factors hindering the development of mountainous Thai Nguyen today These two issues have the corelalion that makes difficulties in mountainous areas more serious and it is not easy to overcome in a short time Therefore, besides improvements in many aspects, the work of poverty reduction in mountainous areas, especially in highlands, ethnic minority areas of Thai Nguyen is in difficulties In this context, implementing methods of poverty reduction and combined gender equality improvement is an actually reasonable way to reduce poverty effectively and sustainably The solution is to ensure synchronization and system on the basis of expansion of opportunities, access to services, risk reduction and right creation for women Keyword.- Gender, poverty reduction, poverty, mountainous, ThalNguyen INTRODUCTION Gender issues are closely related to poverty and development The annual reports on human development show that the poor provinces have low human development index and gender development index So is it possible that improving gender equality will also contribute to poverty alleviation for the people? The article refers to the relationship between gender and poverty, and propose methods for reducing poverty and improving gender equality in midland and mountainous provinces such as Thai Nguyen CONTENT 2.1 Poverty in Thai Nguyen Poverty and inequality between rich and poor is a hot socio-economic issue today It is a big drag on the way to construct and develop Thai Nguyen province according to orientation of socialism in Vietnam The province has 36 extremely difficult communes where the Government and the province have carried out the project for the socio- economic development in diffieuh communes in mountainous or remoted areas (Programme 135) Provineal People's Tel: 0915210558: Email: phihungcuongtn@yahoo.com Committee has developed projects for the socio-economic development for 36 extremely diffieuh communes of three districts: Vo Nhai, Dinh Hoa and Phu Luong These districts have difficult natural conditions for the socio-economic development Table 2.1 Poverty rate by province in 2007 in Thai Nguyen Poverty rate No Districts (%) Dinh Hoa DaiTu Dong Hy Phu Luong Vo Nhai Phu Binh Pho Yen Song Cong Thai Nguyen 34.06 23.66 20:55 26.61 41.09 24.22 18:47 13.90 5:59 Source; Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs In Thai Nguyen province In fact, although poverty alleviation has gained good results but problems related lo the relationship between poverty reduction and sustainable use of resources in mountainous Thai Nguyen is still a matter of urgency This is also a challenge for Central policy makers and local managers 79 81(05): 79-83flP Tap chi KHOA HOC & CONG NGHE Phi Hung Cudng vd dig Poverty reduction and sustainable management of natural resources requires the participation and joint efforts of women, men and authorities This is especially important with the mountainous area as Thai Nguyen, where ethnic communities reside alternately, where ethnic minorities have their own concepts and habits in dealing with natural resources For women, participating in the authorities, unions is an important mechanism lo reflect the wills and aspirations of their gender in activities of poverty reduction and resource use in each locality However, in mountainous Thai Nguyen, the participation rale of women leaders at grassroots level is very low, the operation of the association of women also face difficulties Therefore, to create conditions for women, particularly women of ethnic minority lo participate in issues of sustainable management of natural resources and poverty reduction is also a challenge in mountainous province as Thai Nguyen 2.2 The relationship between gender and poverty Gender: is all the characteristics of society and culture related lo men and women These features differ in different societies and change over time There are different trends when discussing on the relationship between gender and poverty The first trend accepts the differences between men and women in poverty and the opportunity to escape poverty, as this is natural matter without justification and without change This concept indicates that the difference between men and women is regulated by the nature (biological factors) so if women are weaker, poorer than men, it is understandable The second trend not acknowledge differences between men and women, but they are the same in poverty Both men or and women will need the same supports and solutions to escape poverty This concept shows that poverty is not related lo gender The third trend indicates that gender does not determine the capacity or the poverty level of men, women On the contrary, the social factors affect the position, role and improvement of women and men This concept also indicates that a low social position is a factor that raises risk and leads to poverty Actually, the relationship between gender and poverty can be considered on three main aspects of production, reproduction and correlation between the two genders today On the aspect of production, this relationship is demonstrated in the structure of labor in the national economic sectors in which women workers constitute the most Table 2.2 Male and female laborers classified by economic sector in Thai Nguyen in 2007 (Unit; person) No Economic category Agriculture, forestry and fisheries Industry, construction, Production, distribution of electricity, water Trade, repair of cars 2,110 3,045 769 1,289 24,889 30,265 21,198 24,028 Sevices, employment 5,197 8,344 9,105 11,045 Information, banks 909 1,590 1,113 1,905 Scienctific special subjects 1,894 2,160 991 1,145 Party activities Politic organizations Total Source; Statistical Office of Thai Nguyen 2007 Women 80 Female Male 2007 2005 2007 2005 203,898 209,587 208,540 207,206 48,624 58,385 37,455 37,052 participate more in agricultural 15,065 16,657 22,435 24,333 308,275 328,986 300,272 304,695 production while men are hired labors Thus, Phi Hung Cudng vd dig Tap chi KHOA HOC & CONG NGHE women have a lot of difficulties to escape poverty owing to the risky characteristic of agricultural production, especially in mountainous areas where natural conditions are not favorable for food crops On the aspect of reproduction, women have a direct role in developing and maintaining race This is related to the role of mothers The studies concluded that: education of women has a positive impact to the birth rate reduction, mothers who finish a primary school has a lower birth rate than illiterate mothers Education of mothers has a positive impact in reducing the rate of malnutrition in children under the age of 5, increasing numbers of school years of children Also, when considering the viewpoint of care and nurture, women with education and health have conditions to lake care of family members better, and more scientificaly Clearly, if the society invests more actively in improving education and health of women, it means to invest in human development - a decisive factor for the sustainable development of each locality On the third aspect: considering the correlation between the two genders today, poverty and ability to escape poverty of each gender are different because each is affected by the work they do, the location, the voice of each gender in the family, community as well as the access and management of women and men with the material and spiritual rsources Clearly, poverty is a especially vicious cycle for women and girls in the mountainous provinces such as Thai Nguyen But to break this vicious cycle, if you just focus on women and girls, and forget the role of men, it will be hard lo gel a sustainable poverty reduction In fact, in many localities, husbands and fathers have certain voice and positions in implementing family planning 81(05): 79-83 In short, if the gender correlation changes positively on the basis of attracting men and creating conditions for them to change behaviors, actively discussing and making equal decisions in the family and community in order to benefit both women and men in aspects such as division of labor, allocation of resources, beneficiary interests, etc, the poverty reduction activities will be increasingly sustainable Figure 2.1 Poverty circle of women and girls 2.3 Some comments and recommendations For the mountainous areas in general and Thai Nguyen in particular, jobs in the labor market are still generally uncertain, with low income and much risk although jobs have been more extended than before Poverty assessment study with the participation oflhe people showed that most manual labors depend on seasonal crops; they can be refused lo pay the salaries/wages by the foremen, or they have lo work overwhelmedly and face accidents, etc The average amount of money the workers get is 15,000 dongs per day; women always get the lower rale than men (DEID and Consuhing Ageles 2003) Methods for creating job stability, assuring working conditions and being guranteed by the law offices need to be implemented for both women and men in mountainous areas In agricultural production, access to services of agricultural expansion encouragement and credits is an important condition to expand production Poor women and men generally have less access to the argricultural extension services The fact that women work and men Phi Hung Cudng vd dig Tap chi KHOA HOC & CONG NGHE study is common in many areas throughout the country Although women occupy mainly in agricultural production, including both cultivation and breeding, the rate in which women participate in cultivation training sessions only occupies 25%, in breeding training sessions 10% Effective land use and management is a necessary condition for the poor to have a stable life and strive to escape poverty For the land management, being granted the certificate to receive the right of land use is important In fact, until now, the undersigned women for the certificate have occupied a low rate among granted certificates of land use right Especially, the rate of certificates names the wife and husband is too low This is common to all types of land, including annual arable land, tree planting land and forest land Notably, the group of poor women has few conditions lo control soil The percentage of women signing the certificate of land use rights in the group of poorest households is 57% oflhe total number of certificates already issued for soils For mountainous areas, forest land has a significant meaning, but only 5% of wives and 2% of spouses sign the certificate of forest land use rights; this is clearly the condition that resource managers and the authorities should be particularly interested in Strengthening the participation of women, especially women in highlands, women of ethnic minorities in the discussions and decisions on matters of economy, society poverty reduction is an urgent demand nowadays The specific methods of concern include giving information on poverty reduction activities in a timely manner and appropriate language and form for women, supporing the activities of unions, especially the activities of the Women's Union in the difficult areas, training of the young women to become officers in the localities In short, poverty and gender inequality, particularly in mountainous and remoted areas in Thai Nguyen is the general result of c®mplicated and mixed social factors The solutions set out need to take inclusiveness 82 81 (05): 79-83 CONCLUSIONS The given issues show that poverty and inequality are major factors hindering the development of mountainous Thai Nguyen today These two issues have the corelation that makes difficulties in mountainous areas more serious and it is not easy to overcome in a short time Therefore, besides improvements in many aspects, the work of poverty reduction in mountainous areas, especially in highlands, ethnic minority areas of Thai Nguyen is in difficulties In this context implementing methods of povert)reduction and combined gender equalitj' improvement is an actually reasonable way to reduce poverty effectively and sustainably The solution is to ensure synchronization and system on the basis of expansion of opportunities, access to services, risk reduction and right creation for women To this, then all levels and sectors need special attention to the poor women in general, including women and girls of ethnic minorities, women and disadvantaged areas and women who are the head of household because they are easily vulnerable objects Sectors, especially agriculture and rual development, education, health and localities first of all Party Committees, governments and unions at the grassroots level need to create conditions for raising awareness and changes of actions to ensure that poor women to participate and benefit as equally as men in poverty reduction from the results of the development process in general in each locality REFERENCE [I] DFID and UNDP 2003 Poverty Reduction in Northern Mountainous Areas (in Vietnamese) [2] The General Statistics Offlce.2006 Results of Standard of Living of Households In 2006 Some Main Results (in Vietnamese) [3] National Committee for the Advancement of Women in 2000 Situation Analysis and Pollq.Recommendations on Gender Equality and Advancement of Women (in Vietnamese) [4] Tran Thi Van Anh, Gender in poverty alleviation and Development in mountainous areas, Journal of women Vol 5, 2004 (in Vietnamese) [5] Truong Thi Thuy Hang, Research in Human Development Index reflecting genders in some localities Joumal of women, Vol.1, 2005 (in Vietnamese) Phi Hung Cudng Tap chi KHOA HOC & CONG NGHE 81(05): 79-83 TOM TAT VAN DE GIOI TRONG XOA DOI GIAM NGHEO O MIEN NUI THAI NGUYEN Phi Hung Cudng'*, Vu Van Anh^ ' Trudng DH Khoa hoc - DH Thai Nguyen, 'Trudng DH Su phgm - DH Thai Nguyen Van de gidi cd quan he mat thiet vdi ngheo ddi va phat trien Cac bao cao thudng nien ve phat trien ngudi cho thay cac tinh ngheo ddng thdi cung la cac tinh cd chi sd phat trien ngudi va chi sd phat trien gidi thap Ngheo ddi va bat binh dang la yeu td chinh kim ham sir phai trien mien nui Thai Nguyen hien Hai van de cd mdi lien he qua lai lam cho nhimg khd khan d mien ndi them tram Irgng va khdng de khac phuc thdi gian ngan Vi le do, ben canh nhimg cai thien ve nhieu mat thi cdng tac xoa ddi giam ngheo d mien ndi, dac biet ddi vdi vdng cao, vung dan tgc thieu sd Thai Nguyen cdn gap nhieu khd khan Trong bdi canh nay, thuc hien cac bien phap xoa ddi giam ngheo cd ket hgp nang cao binh dang gidi la hudng di hgp ly nhat de giam ngheo hieu qua va ben vdng Cac gidi phap nham dam bao tinh ddng bg va he thdng tren co sd md rdng co hdi, kha nang tiep can dich vu, giam rdi ro va tao quyen cho phu nu Tu' khoa: gidi, xda doi gidm ngheo, doi ngheo, mien nid, Thdi Nguyen Tel: 0915210558; Emad- phihungcuongtn@yahoacom 83 ... (in Vietnamese) Phi Hung Cudng Tap chi KHOA HOC & CONG NGHE 81(05): 79-83 TOM TAT VAN DE GIOI TRONG XOA DOI GIAM NGHEO O MIEN NUI THAI NGUYEN Phi Hung Cudng'*, Vu Van Anh^ ' Trudng DH Khoa hoc... d mien ndi, dac biet ddi vdi vdng cao, vung dan tgc thieu sd Thai Nguyen cdn gap nhieu khd khan Trong bdi canh nay, thuc hien cac bien phap xoa ddi giam ngheo cd ket hgp nang cao binh dang gidi