[{"bbox": [210, 178, 1134, 230], "category": "List-item", "text": "1. To strengthen industrial relations in Viet Nam, in line with ILO Fundamental Conventions and Viet Nam's Labour Code."}, {"bbox": [210, 232, 1054, 259], "category": "List-item", "text": "2. To improve social protection coverage for workers in vulnerable situations in Viet Nam."}, {"bbox": [210, 259, 1015, 286], "category": "List-item", "text": "3. The business community in Viet Nam is more supportive of decent work principles."}, {"bbox": [95, 310, 1134, 444], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action falls under Priority area 2: Responsible entrepreneurship and enhanced skills for decent employment of the 2021-2027 Multi-annual Indicative Programme for Viet Nam. It will be complementary of activities in the field of vocational training and Responsible Business Conduct which will be addressed under AAP 2023 and AAP 2024. The action will contribute to the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III² and Country Level Implementation Plan (CLIP) for Vietnam 2021-2025."}, {"bbox": [85, 472, 324, 504], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 538, 235, 566], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [95, 610, 1134, 1007], "category": "Text", "text": "Viet Nam's economic success story has been largely reliant on trade openness but also the accumulation of cheap labour. This growth model has generated a large population of workers in a situation of vulnerable employment, ILO statistics confirm. Viet Nam increasingly seeks to break away from this low value added model and move up the value chain. For this transition to materialise, the leadership of this one-party state wants to promote better skills, more investment in high productivity technology but also offer better protection and working conditions to its workers. These priorities will shape the future of Viet Nam's industrial strategy as laid down in Viet Nam's Socio-Economic Development Strategy (SEDS) 2021-2030 and Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP) 2021-2025. In parallel to this new industrial revolution, Viet Nam embarked on an ambitious labour reform agenda. A revised Labour Code entered into force in 2021 which introduced wide ranging reforms in industrial relations, notably provisions on independent workers representative organisations at enterprise level that however cannot be established and operate at the moment as respective implementing decrees have not been enacted. Several high profile trade agreements - including the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement in 2020 - were ratified during the same period. Commitments on labour rights included in trade agreements foresee the ratification of ILO fundamental Convention 87 on the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise that remains to be ratified in Viet Nam."}, {"bbox": [95, 1033, 1134, 1248], "category": "Text", "text": "Reforms are also visible on the social protection front. Resolution 28-NQ/TW adopted in 2018 and the corresponding Master Plan on Social Insurance Reform detailed the social protection priorities of the Party. The long term objective is to achieve universal social protection coverage through multi-tiered systems. Under the new Master Plan, social insurance coverage is expected to gradually increase for both wage and non-wage workers including those in informal employment, for long-term benefits (e.g. pensions) and short-term benefits (e.g. sickness, maternity and family benefits). The Master Programme on Social Insurance Reform in Vietnam (MPSIR) sets an ambitious target of 60% coverage for the working population by 2030, meaning that the number of people covered must double by 2030."}, {"bbox": [95, 1273, 1134, 1381], "category": "Text", "text": "Despite progress in narrowing the gender gap recently, Vietnam still faces challenges considering deep-rooted gender stereotypes and a 'gendered structure' economy. Vietnam adopted the National Strategy on Gender Equality for the 2021-2030 period to foster Vietnam's gender equality and women entrepreneurship in the 2021-2030 period. Its aim is to increase the rate of female employees engaged in paid work to about 60% by 2030."}, {"bbox": [95, 1405, 1134, 1486], "category": "Text", "text": "The National Programme on the Prevention and Reduction of Child Labour for the 2021-25 period, with a vision towards 2030, was also adopted in 2021, with the goal of eradicating child labour in the country and achieving (SDG 8) target 8.7."}, {"bbox": [95, 1512, 1134, 1566], "category": "Text", "text": "Such objectives echo EU's own Decent Work priorities as laid down in the Communication on Decent Work Worldwide, adopted by the European Commission on 23 February 2022³. The Communication lays the ground for"}, {"bbox": [85, 1596, 953, 1622], "category": "Footnote", "text": "² Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in External Action 2021–2025 (GAP III)"}, {"bbox": [85, 1622, 479, 1644], "category": "Footnote", "text": "³ Communication on Decent Work Worldwide:"}, {"bbox": [1037, 1680, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 24"}]