A/HRC/17/34/Add.1 I. Introduction 1. In this report, the independent expert on the question of human rights and extreme poverty (the independent expert), Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, describes the findings of her mission to Viet Nam from 23 to 31 August 2010. During this visit, the independent expert collected information that provided an overview of the human rights situation of people living in extreme poverty and allowed for a rights-based analysis of key social policies in the area of social protection. Social protection and human rights were the focus of her most recent thematic reports (A/HRC/11/9, A/HRC/14/31, A/64/279 and A/65/259). 2. The independent expert met with various Government authorities, including the Deputy Prime Minister, the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs, and representatives from the Ministries of: Foreign Affairs; Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA); Investment and Planning; Education and Training; Agriculture and Rural Development; and Natural Resources and Environment. She also met representatives from the Committee of the Viet Nam National Assembly for Social Affairs, the Commission on People’s Petition and the Viet Nam Women’s Union. During her visits to provinces she met with representatives from the Provincial People’s Committees of Bac Kan and Quang Nam. 3. Furthermore, she held meetings with representatives of international organizations, donor agencies and civil society organizations working in Viet Nam. 4. The independent expert also had the opportunity to visit and meet residents in the communities of Tu Lap, Me Linh district, province of Ha Noi; Yen Dinh, Cho Moi district, province of Bac Kan; and Tien Phuoc and Phu Ninh, province of Quang Nam. 5. The independent expert expresses her gratitude to the Government of Viet Nam for its invitation and its full cooperation during her mission. She also extends her thanks to the United Nations country team, in particular the Office of the Resident Coordinator, which directly assisted with preparations for the visit. Lastly, she expresses her gratitude to all those who met with her, in particular those who shared their personal experiences of living in extreme poverty in Viet Nam. 6. In the last two decades, Viet Nam has made impressive progress in reducing poverty. The Doi Moi programmes have had significant impacts on all areas of society, resulting in substantially improved living standards for many. According to Government estimates, the poverty rate has declined from 58.1 per cent in 1993 to 14.5 per cent in 2008.1 The country has recently been recognized as having achieved “middle-income” status. 7. Despite this laudable progress, at least 12 million Vietnamese still lived in extreme poverty in 2008.2 Moreover, poverty reduction rates are slowing down and there is a high risk of groups that had progressed falling back into poverty as a consequence of economic shocks and natural disasters, which may only become more frequent due to the effects of World Trade Organization accession, middle-income status and the effects of climate change.3 Additionally, most studies recognize that successes in stimulating growth and reducing poverty remain uneven and inequality is a serious concern, having risen since 1 2 3 4 Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Millennium Development Goals 2010 National Report, Viet Nam 2/3 of the way achieving the Millennium Development Goals and Towards 2015 (Hanoi, August 2010) (“Viet Nam MDG National Report 2010”, p. 23. According to the World Bank/General Statistics Office of Viet Nam general poverty line, Viet Nam MDG 2010 National Report 2010, p. 23. Viet Nam MDG 2010 National Report, 2010, p. 32.