Special edition  » The climate for change

There is clear evidence that villagers in Vietnam are observing climate change and this may undermine human development gains.

Increasing exposure to climate change, both slow onset and rapid onset, is evidenced by unusual climate events noted by local people across the rural areas and highlands of Vietnam, according to the discussion paper jointly prepared by the United Nations and Oxfam in Vietnam in November 2009.

The impacts of climate change will not be felt equally across Vietnam. Economic growth has led to increased investment in the rural areas in Vietnam and contribution to poverty reduction since late 1990s, but social inequality is also rising.

Because of prevailing gender inequalities, women are likely to be more affected than men. Sensitivity to climate change varies, and is particularly strong amongst poorer, rural households and amongst women who tend to rely on natural resources and climate-sensitive livelihood activities.

Adaptive capacity is differentiated along gender and social lines because of prevailing gender norms, power relations and poverty patterns. Indicators of household resilience in Vietnam include access to and control of labour, savings and credit and security of land tenures.

The joint research shows that key factors shaping resilience include lifecycle stages of households, previous experience of dealing with disasters, the strength of a local self-protection ethos, social support through kin and community networks, and relative strength of livelihoods (diverse strategies and entitlements).

The following recommendations are based on the research data sources and above conclusions, and verified and discussed in stakeholder workshops, and they go beyond those as well, in order to set the conditions for responding to climate change into opportunities for gender equality.

The following recommendations include references to the mandate of some sector ministries, in particular in the context of formulation and implementation of action plans under the National Target Programme to Respond to Climate Change (NTP).

In addition, the recommendations imply consequences for disaster management, agricultural extension, and migration-related policies and action plans, among others. Furthermore, the recommendations are also relevant to other national stakeholders with an interest in either gender equality or climate change and to other policy implantation processes.

Recommendations are also expected to be of relevance to international development organisations based in Vietnam and their national partners, for their programme development and implementation.

Recommendation 1: Awareness raising and training on gender-climate change links

Raise awareness on both climate change and gender equality and promote women’s education and education for all, with specific attention paid to curricula on both gender equality and climate change action.

NTP task and lead agencies: Awareness enhancement and human resources training by a variety of ministries.

Recommendation 2: Research on gender-climate change links

Improve the research base on the gender and climate change links and ensure that gender sensitive data is collected and analysed to inform decision making.

NTP task and lead agencies: Develop and implement science and technology programmes on climate change. Develop and implement action plans to respond to climate change by sector ministries.

Recommendation 3: Policy, participation and representation

Ensure that gender-climate change links are mainstreamed in policies and programmes, and ensure women’s participation in policy making and decision-making on climate change at all levels.

NTP task and lead agencies: Building capacity of organisation, institution and policy-making on climate change by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and others, and develop a standard framework for mainstreaming climate change issues into development policies made by the MPI and others. Also closely related to develop and implement action plans to respond to climate change by sector ministries, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).

Recommendation 4: Women’s rights and natural disasters

Protect women’s rights in particular during and after disasters that are enhanced by climate change.

NTP task and lead agencies: Develop and implement action plans to respond to climate change by sector ministries, especially the MARD, the MoLISA and mass organisations.

Recommendation 5: Women’s livelihood opportunities and climate change

Create livelihood opportunities for women and female headed households, including rural livelihood diversification and migration resettlement, as a primary response to climate change stresses.

NTP task and lead agencies: Develop and implement action plans to respond to climate change by sector ministries, especially the MARD, the MoLISA and mass organisations.

Recommendation 6: Gender and international climate change policy

Promote gender equality in international climate change policy, including financing.

NTP task and lead agencies: Enhance international cooperation by the MoNRE, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other sector ministries, especially the MARD and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.