CARE International in Vietnam’s Annual Report for 2019-2020 showcases significant achievements in its mission to combat poverty and injustice, with a particular focus on empowering marginalized women across Vietnam. The organization’s efforts during this period, despite the challenges posed by the historic coronavirus outbreak, underscore its adaptability and commitment to equitable development.
A major highlight is CARE in Vietnam’s comprehensive reach, impacting 326,000 people through 24 projects and initiatives in 2020 alone. A substantial part of this achievement involved directly supporting 76,300 individuals (and indirectly benefiting an additional 377,100) to uphold women and girls’ rights to live free from violence. Furthermore, CARE facilitated economic empowerment, enabling 11,700 women and girls directly (and 32,400 indirectly) to access and control economic resources.
In response to increasing climate challenges, 17,700 people directly (and 52,000 indirectly) received support to build resilience against climate change. The report also details crucial economic recovery assistance provided to 1,004 people directly (and 3,012 indirectly) affected by the pandemic.
Beyond direct beneficiaries, CARE in Vietnam played a pivotal role in policy reform. Their advocacy efforts contributed to the Revised Labour Code 2019, which now includes specific provisions for sexual harassment prevention in the workplace. This critical legal framework is set to create safer working environments for 1.2 million women in the garment industry and regulate workplaces for 28 million people nationwide.
The report also highlights innovative community-level interventions. The “Technologically Enhanced Agricultural Livelihoods” (TEAL) project, for instance, has supported women-led cooperatives like Ara-Tay Coffee, empowering ethnic minority women with improved farming, roasting, and marketing skills, thereby increasing their income and influence in the coffee value chain. Another notable initiative, the “Happy Village,” successfully transformed norms against women’s economic participation by encouraging men to take responsibilities in household care, allowing women greater opportunities in economic activities like the banana value chain.
These achievements demonstrate CARE in Vietnam’s integrated approach, combining direct community support with strategic advocacy and innovative solutions to address deep-rooted inequalities and foster sustainable development.