While reporting key findings of the survey at the workshop, Flowers mentioneda lack of internet access and IT skills among people across the country. Thesurvey showed that although more than 80 percent of people aged 15-49 use theInternet, only over 30 percent of them know how to use computers.
She also pointed out the popular practice of punishing children athome by means of violence and a clean water crisis facing Vietnam.
The survey was conducted by the General Statistics Office (GSO) in collaboration with concerned government ministries andagencies. It is part of the Global Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS)Programme of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 6th Round, or MICS6,which for the first time integrated selected modules from the Demographic andHealth Survey. Technical and financial oversight and support was provided byUNICEF, while the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) contributed technicaland some financial support to extend the areas addressed in the survey.
The Vietnam SDGCW survey 2020-2021 generated data for 169indicators, of which 35 are national SDG indicators, making it a key source ofdata for monitoring the country’s progress towards achieving the SDGs and itsnational targets.
In her opening speech, GSO General Director Nguyen Thi Huongsaid it is the biggest MICS in Vietnam and the world to date, with 14,000 households in 700 areas across all 63 provinces and cities ofthe country participating in. The samples represent six economic regions and two major cities –Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – as well as major ethnic minority groups.
Huong noted the findings reflect the real life of childrenand women in Vietnam regarding reproductive health, child nutrition, education,health, equal access to information and communication technology, inclusivedevelopment, early labour, child disability, among other indicators.
She said the information will support the establishment ofprogrammes and policies, especially those focusing on disadvantaged childrenand women such as ethnic minorities living in disadvantaged areas, poorhouseholds and people with disabilities./.