Political economic and socio cultural context of development administration

Hanoi’s iconic Hoan Kiem Lake is adored by tourists and locals alike, but many surrounding areas are simply too full

Located deep in an alley on Hang Buom street is house No.53, built over 100 years ago. Although severely degraded with many cracks appearing in the rotten walls and stairs, the 3-storey house with dozens of apartments has been the residence for nearly 200 people for many years.

Nguyen Trung Truc, a resident living in an apartment on the first floor said, “The house has signs of dilapidation and the entrance to the house lacks sunlight, so it is dirty and dark. When opening the door, the smell flies straight into the house. Every time it rains, the house and the yard are wet.”

Truc’s family and the households who live here all want to have a new spacious and cleaner place, but what they worry about most is how to earn a living after moving, when their current income mainly depends on street trading in the Old Quarter.

With a history of more than 1,000 years, the area is both an administrative and commercial centre and a place with great historical value, architecture, and culture. The 36 traditional craft streets represent business activities, attracting not only people in Hanoi but also people in the surrounding areas to come here for settlement.

Over the years, the rapid population growth has narrowed the land fund in the Old Quarter, creating great pressure on infrastructure, causing cramped and messy conditions which, in turn, affects the urban appearance and affection of international tourists to Hanoi, and is also related to damage caused to many historical monuments.

Therefore, the relocation of the population in the Old Quarter area is considered a top priority of Hanoi’s administration in urban reconstruction and conservation of cultural heritage.

According to the urban planning, 215,000 residents in Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, and Hai Ba Trung will be relocated by the end of the decade. The land fund released from relocation will be used to restore monuments, build transport systems, reconstruct urban areas, and add additional public works such as parks, squares, and car parks.

Higher quality of life

According to data from the 2019 Population and Housing Census, the population density in Hoan Kiem district stood at around 39,800 people per kilometre, 137 times higher than the national population density. The Old Quarter alone now boasts about 4,300 houses. On average, about 3-4 families can live together in one house. There are some houses with dozens of families, for which the living area amounts to only 0.5-1.8 square metre per person.

Of the nearly 1,000 homes with a life expectancy of less than 100 years, 63 per cent are in degradation, 12 per cent are in danger, and 5 per cent are polluted.

Poor and unsafe living conditions are the reason for a number of accidents, ranging from daily inconveniences to house collapses. With such high population density in a cramped area, relocation is the first solution to reduce the pressure on the inner city.

“People here say they are very unhappy because their current accommodation is degraded and potentially dangerous so they cannot live there for long. If a new place can ensure essential services and solve the livelihood problem, we will be ready to move,” said Nguyen Manh Cuong, a resident in Cua Nam ward of Hoan Kiem district.

Pham Tuan Long, Chairman of Hoan Kiem People’s Committee said the plan to lower the population in the four districts from the current 887,000 to 672,000 by 2030 remains associated with similar projects the district has implemented over the years. In addition to regulations on the relocated people, the city also plans to prepare resettlement areas for residents.

“The zoning planning aims to offer the best conditions for people. I am also willing to move if I am in the clearance area. Moving to a new place, people will have better living conditions and leave land for the city to re-plan for a more beautiful capital,” Long said.

Preserving heritage

In addition to improving the urban living environment, one of the plan’s goals is to develop culture and preserve heritage sites and monuments of the Old Quarter. The most visible examples of the pressure created by the high population density are the many monuments, temples, and pagodas in the area that are spoiled by restaurants and parking lots. There are even relics being requisitioned to function as stands for goods.

For example, Vinh Tru Pagoda on Hang Luoc street is recognised as a famous cultural destination in the Old Quarter. For many years its facade has often been occupied by surrounding shops as a parking place, which not only affects tourists but also lessens the majesty of such ancient architecture.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luong Tu Quyen from the Faculty of Urban and Rural Planning of Hanoi Architectural University, the rapid and disturbing transformation of monuments on central streets will become increasingly difficult to control.

Regardless of the purpose, Quyen says, population relocation is required in inner-city planning to preserve and improve the quality of life, while promoting traditional values in the Old Quarter. However, population relocation also needs to ensure the preservation of long-term habits and livelihoods for people, he added.

These plans are nothing new. Over 20 years ago the city implemented a plan to rearrange the old town and had a policy of relocating universities, hospitals, head offices of ministries, and more from the historic inner-city area. Yet today it still has not found a solution to the problem of improving long-term livelihoods.

Meanwhile, thousands of households in the Old Quarter mainly depend on business and retail trading activities, leading to disagreements within the people living here. The people who are determined to stick around are mostly households close to the roads. Others that voluntarily relocate are residents living in old deteriorated houses, with an area of less than 5sq.m per person.

Economic and cultural experts all say that relocation on such scale would not be easy because it relates to thousands of households of many generations, especially families who have lived for many generations in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

The key to a successful relocation, they say, could be to solve the problem of interests between people and heritage conservation.

Vietnam posts increasingly unbalanced sex ratio at birth at 111.5 male births for every 100 female newborns compared to the world’s normal rate of 105.

Harmful practices for women and girls like gender-biased sex selection and domestic violence continue to remain in Vietnam, requiring instant and persistent actions by the whole society and all stakeholders.

Vietnam and UNFPA have made efforts to increase the value of the girl child. Photo: UNFPA Vietnam

A benign tradition “son preference” which is anything but is a product of gender-biased systems that places higher social status to men and boys, and favors male over female children.

The manifestation of gender biased sex selection can be directly measured through “sex ratio at birth (SRB)” and Vietnam’s rate is the third highest in the world, following China and India.

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the unbalanced sex ratio at birth was first identified in Vietnam in 2004. Since 2005, it has rapidly increased and reached 111.5 male births for every 100 female births in 2019 as indicated in the 2019 Population and Housing Census, against the biologically “natural” or “normal” sex ratio between 105 and 106.

Symphony concert “Girls Deserve to Shine” opens at the Hanoi Opera House on November 27. Photo: UNFPA Vietnam

Evidence shows that this demographic imbalance is a result of pre-natal sex selection, which is the termination of pregnancy when the fetus is determined to be female. UNFPA’s State of the World Population Report estimates that every year, 40,800 female births are missing in Vietnam. It means that 40,800 girls are not born every year in Vietnam because they were found to be a girl.

Meanwhile, nearly 2 in 3 women (62.9%) experienced one or more forms of physical, sexual, emotional, and economic violence and controlling behaviors by their husbands in their lifetime as indicated in the 2019 National Study on Violence against Women, which was conducted by the government of Vietnam with financial and technical support from UNFPA and the government of Australia.

But seriously, domestic violence is largely hidden in Vietnam. Almost half of women did not tell anyone their status, and all women who experienced physical and/or sexual violence from husbands did not seek any help from formal service providers, largely because of fear of stigma, discrimination and further harassment.

Ms. Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam at the concert. Photo: UNFPA Vietnam

“The underlying cause of all these is gender-inequality and under-valuing of girls and women,” Ms. Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, said at the first-ever symphony concert “Girls Deserve to Shine” on November 27, which featured promising and outstanding Vietnamese young female soloists.

Organized at the Hanoi Opera House by UNFPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST) and the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, the concert is aimed to appreciate the value of gild child, as equal as to boys.

The concert is the initiative between the government of Vietnam and UNFPA in joining hands to raise public awareness and increase the value of the girl child within the context of addressing domestic violence and gender-biased sex selection in the nation.

The concert was part of the National Action Month on Gender Equality and Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls and 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

“Each one of us has a unique role and a shared responsibility to address issues that affect us all towards inclusive, equitable and sustainable development in Vietnam,” Ms. Naomi Kitahara said at the opening of the concert.

A new Law on Land is needed, but it could take a good three years for a new itineration. Photo: Le Toan

According to previous proposals, the Law on Land 2013 was to be revised at some point after the 13th National Party Congress. A new law was to be considered within the year, with the National Assembly able to discuss the revised draft by the end of 2022. If all goes to plan, the revised law would then need at least three years before being approved.

Simultaneously, and with the party congress now in the rear view mirror and a new government in the process of taking the reins, a summary report of the implementation of the 2013 land law is being led by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), involving every ministry and local authority. The summary report will be sent to the government and submitted to the National Assembly in the second quarter of 2023 the latest.

According to Dang Hung Vo, former deputy minister of Natural Resources and Environment, the current Law on Land contains conflicts with many other laws such as those on housing, real estate business, forestry, zoning, and public asset management.

“The overlap among those laws is the main reason for limiting the new supply for the real estate market as demand continuously increases. This leads to rocketing price increases and speculation which makes the market unstable,” Vo said.

Meanwhile, the weakness of the current Law on Land has also created struggles for administrative policies and implementation of land issues, especially in compensation.

Talking with VIR, Lim Hua Tiong, CEO of Frasers Property Vietnam expressed that a revised land law is necessary to enhance the flow of foreign investment to Vietnam – and that means a law with shorter processes, clearer and less complicated regulations, and elimination of conflicts with other laws that would all help investors make faster decisions and open up major chances for their success in Vietnam.

“It must offer equal opportunities for Vietnamese and foreign investors by enabling and granting overseas investors the right to directly obtain land use rights for the purposes of land bank development for new project establishment,” said Lim.

He added that any revised land law should clarify the measurement of public land, which can be directly allocated/leased to the investor without public auction. “This may shorten the time of the land allocation process and project implementation, respectively,” he added.

One official from the MoNRE noted that the revision of the land law must clarify details and remove unfairness for related parties in inheriting profits brought about by investment in land. Especially, the financial framework for land use which includes land leasing rents must be more relevant to the realities of the market.

“Moreover, the current Law on Land fails to mention many new types of real estate products such as condotels, officetels, or shophouses so a revised one is in need to deal with those products,” said the official.

According to Dang Minh Duc, director of Dong Nai Department of Natural Resources and Environment, a new law must take into account the current land status of localities.

“The revised Law on Land should clearly regulate the process of appraisal and land use right auction, and the calculation of the value for land compensation. These issues are seriously impacting the implementation of many projects in Dong Nai province,” Duc said.

The MoNRE has revealed that key issues to be considered in the revised land law include the expansion of quotas for agricultural land use of individuals and households; and management of rice land and especially land collection methods for the development of socio-economy of localities.

Also in the frame for a revamp included are taxation policies on agricultural land provided to households and enterprises that are left unused, as well as how to harmonise the rights between foreign enterprises and the government, while avoiding the impacts to the country’s security but ensuring a solid investment environment for overseas investors.

Lim Hua Tiong – CEO, Frasers Property Vietnam Under the current land law, a foreign-owned entity does not have the right to directly obtain land use rights from other land users. This prevents a foreign-owned entity from developing a land bank for new projects. Within a project area, there are several parcels managed by the state such as land with rivers, streams, canals, springs, and special-use water surface. There has not been any obvious regulation to specify the measurement of public land, which can be directly allocated/leased to the investor without public auction. This prolongs the project land allocation process and adversely affects the investor, as they cannot carry out the next investment steps without such land allocation. For project implementation, developers must go through many complicated steps which can take up two years to fully process. In a real situation, many projects take 3-5 years for legal approval. This prevents developers from market advantages because of delayed launch timelines. Also, the inconsistent application of land use fee calculation is a big trouble for real estate developing, not only for foreign investors but also Vietnamese ones which continues to create many disputes. Peter Dinning – Chairman, Colliers International Vietnam has made tremendous advances within the real estate sector including the rights of ownership and the rights to occupy, but we have seen many examples when land has been taken away at below the market value. This leaves the owner in a worse position than they were in before the land is taken away. Further advances in creating a fair system to value property are required to create a more international-standard real estate market. Real estate in Vietnam is still in its infancy and while it is a driver for the economy, real risks are still associated with owning and occupying land. International investors would like to see a system which protects land and property ownership and in the event that for whatever reason it is taken away, a true open market value is paid by compensation. In the UK we have a dedicated department called the Valuation Office whose duty is to protect the rights of the individual when a property is taken away. There is a proper right to appeal and valuation tribunals are available for anyone who disputes the compensation that a developer and or an authority wishes to pay to take over your land. Alain Cany – Chairman, European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam European enterprises are keen to invest and expand further their business operations and new projects. To capitalise on this trend, the government could enhance the legal framework and cut administrative procedures on land to unlock the full potential of European investment. For instance, reducing the time to complete the investment registration process would be welcome, as would making the procedures for acquiring land clearer and more transparent. Enabling foreign investors to borrow from international lenders would also be a positive step, rather than limiting mortgages just to banks. We have seen some positive developments in the last few months alone. For instance, Decree No.148/2020/ND-CP – in particular its provisions on land lease for small state-owned land parcels – should help to clear one of the bottlenecks for investors whose developments have been on hold for some time. This, in turn, should restore the land fund for project development and create more opportunities for local and foreign enterprises. We encourage the government to build on this success. For instance, a definition of “foreign-invested enterprises” aligned with the new Law on Investment would be a good step, as current inconsistencies create difficulties.

Violence against women in Vietnam remains very much hidden and more actions must be taken to change the situation.

As many as 63% of Vietnamese married women have experienced one or more forms of physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence and controlling behaviors by their husbands in their lifetime, according to a newly-released study.

As many as 63% of Vietnamese married women suffer at least one kind of violence in their lifetime

It means that nearly two in three married women in Vietnam have suffered at least one kind of domestic violence, according to a study that is backed technically and financially by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

This is the second study conducted in Vietnam, making it the only country in the world so far making a study that specifically uses cross-culturally validated methodology developed by the World Health Organization.

Managed by Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) in collaboration with the General Statistics Office (GSO), this study enables a better understanding of what has changed since the first study in 2010, as well as what has not, and what needs to be in place for strengthening gender equality and ending gender-based violence in Vietnam.

The 2019 study has three parts: a quantitative survey, conducted by GSO; a qualitative study by the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP); and an economic costing of violence by international experts commissioned by UNFPA.

Nearly 6,000 women aged 15 to 64 were interviewed, with the results showing that most of the violence against women in Vietnam is perpetrated by their husbands or partners.

The study also shows that with the exception of sexual violence, the prevalence of different types of violence against women, perpetrated by husbands, was slightly lower in 2019 than in 2010, and positive change may be happening among younger women.

In addition, the report estimated that violence against women cost Vietnam an estimated 1.8% of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018.

Key findings from the 2019 study

• In Vietnam, women were more likely to be abused by their husbands than by any other perpetrators.

• Nearly one in ten or 9% women experienced non-partner sexual violence since age 15. Almost all of this was perpetrated by males who were not family members (e.g. a male stranger, friend or acquaintance; a recent acquaintance; or someone at work).

• Violence against women remains very much hidden. Half of women who experienced violence by husbands had never told anyone. Almost all women (90.4%) who experienced physical and/or sexual violence from husbands did not seek any help from formal service providers.

• Children are also victims when living in violent environments. Of the women who experienced physical violence by a husband, 61.4% disclosed that their children witnessed or otherwise overheard the violence. Women who experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their husbands were more likely to say their children (5-12 years) had behavioral problems.

• Violence against women has a wide range of health impacts or consequences. One in four women (23.3%) who were physically and/or sexually abused by their husbands had physical injuries. Pregnant women are also at risk of violence from their husbands.

• Violence is a learned behavior. Women victims of violence are more likely to have a husband whose mother was beaten or who was himself beaten as a child.

Remarks on the national study

Nguyen Thi Ha, Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) at the event on July 14. Photo: Nhandan

MOLISA’s Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Ha said after nearly ten years since the first survey, the results show both positive changes and shortcomings.

The percentage of women suffering from these forms of violence has decreased slightly and positive change is clearly seen among young women who did not endure and showed their strength in fighting against violence, and women who have higher education are less likely to experience violence.

Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, at the event. Photo: UNFPA

“Ending violence against women and girls is one of the three transformative results that UNFPA has pledged to achieve worldwide,” said Naomi Kitahara, UNFPA Representative in Vietnam.

“In Vietnam, UNFPA has worked alongside the Government and stakeholders for more than a decade towards ending violence against women. Today, we have even more evidence to spur us to even greater action, and I call on everyone to join forces to eliminate this violence. Without addressing this, Vietnam quite simply cannot achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, and ensure no one is left behind,” she added.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie. Photo: Embassy of Australia in Hanoi

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie said “Australia is deeply committed to ending gender-based violence.” “We have supported this study because it leads us all to acknowledge just how many lives are affected by violence, coercive control and harassment. Each piece of data in this report represents the experience of a Vietnamese woman or girl, whether in their home, at work or in a public place. This report means that we hear them, we believe them, and we need to act.”

At the launch of the results, the government of Vietnam, government of Australia, and UNFPA all called for ever more urgent action to end violence against women.

“No matter where violence happens, in what forms, or who it affects, it must be stopped,” concluded UNFPA Representative Naomi Kitahara. “Together, we should work to create a world where both women and men, and girls and boys, can enjoy a life free from violence. We commend Vietnam for its commitment to achieving this vision.”

HCM City (VNA) – The southern coastal province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau has asked the Government to allocate capital from the central budget to speed up progress of national key projects in the province over the next five years.

Of the 16 major public-invested projects , three of the most important projects are the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway , Phuoc An Bridge and 991B Road, according to the provincial People’s Committee.

Nguyen Van Tho, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the three national key projects would connect the southern key economic region with the Cai Mep – Thi Vai deep water port, a key port in the region.

“The port system can receive large container vessels of up to 200,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT) and is capable of international goods transport, which allows direct export to the EU and the US without transshipment, reducing logistics costs and improving the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods,” he said.

The expressway, connecting Bien Hoa City in Dong Nai and Ba Ria City in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, is expected to be completed and opened to traffic by 2025.

The province said it had asked the PM to approve the pre-feasibility study for the first phase of the project, which will be implemented under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) investment model.

To build the expressway, around 34.2km of the road will be built in Dong Nai and 19.5km in Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

The project requires an estimated investment of 23.07 trillion VND (995.5 million USD), according to the provincial People’s Committee.

The province proposed that 9.95 trillion VND should be sourced from the State budget to fund site clearance and construction of the section in the province, and that 13.125 trillion VND should come from the private sector.

The developer of the project will mobilise the remainder from its own budget and bank loans. To recover capital, the investor will be allowed to collect toll fees from road users for about 25 years.

The expressway is expected to ease traffic congestion on National Highway 51, and facilitate travel between Dong Nai and Ba Ria – Vung Tau provinces and HCM City and the southern key economic zone.

Another national key project is the Phuoc An Bridge, which will connect the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port complex with the Ben Luc – Long Thanh expressway.

The 4.3-km bridge will be built in Phu My Town in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and Nhon Trach district in Dong Nai province.

The bridge is expected to cost 4.88 trillion VND. The province has asked for an allocation of 50 percent of the cost (2.4 trillion VND) from the central government budget over the next five years.

In addition, the 991B road is an important project with a total cost of 3.95 trillion VND, of which the central government has already allocated 920 billion VND. The province has asked the government to arrange an additional 2.22 trillion VND over the next five years.

Call for investment in 23 projects

In addition to 16 key public-invested projects, the province is calling for investment in 23 national key projects, according to a report from the provincial People’s Committee.

These projects include ports, cultural parks, airports, roads, inspection centres, tourism services, and urban area works.

Of the 23 projects, nine land plots will seek investment through auction of land-use rights and public property auctions, including one that has already been successfully auctioned.

In addition, the province has added the April 30th Park in Ba Ria City and a national grid system for Con Dao district to the list of key projects that need speeding up.

Pham Viet Thanh, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, said the province would choose qualified and reputable investors to carry out the projects.

“Relevant localities and agencies must follow the progress of each of the key projects and remove difficulties in a timely way and deal with arising problems,” he noted.

With a coastal line of over 30km, Ba Ria-Vung Tau serves as the country’s major trade gateway due to its proximity to industrial zones, port complex, major highways, and transshipment routes.

Located on the southeastern coast, the province is one of the leading foreign direct investment (FDI) sites in Vietnam./.

VNA