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Challenges to Rural Poverty Reduction in Viet Nam - Oxfam Blogs

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Five-year Synthesis Report<br />

Part 1: <strong>Poverty</strong> Trends and Key Themes of <strong>Rural</strong> <strong>Poverty</strong> <strong>Reduction</strong><br />

1.5. Gender Relations<br />

Household labour division and decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g<br />

43<br />

Gender roles have not substantially changed at the moni<strong>to</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>ts over<br />

the last five years. Gender roles are determ<strong>in</strong>ed by culture, long-stand<strong>in</strong>g values,<br />

stereotypes and prejudices. Men are still expected <strong>to</strong> undertake “heavy tasks” that require<br />

“technique”, “calculation” and “social relations”. Women are generally responsible for<br />

tasks that are time-consum<strong>in</strong>g and are identified as “light” or “small”. In poor households,<br />

women undertake a larger share of the labour and care for family life, prevent<strong>in</strong>g them<br />

from engag<strong>in</strong>g fully <strong>in</strong> production and social activities.<br />

However, there are some changes among younger people. Many ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority<br />

young men share house work and children care with women because they are better<br />

educated, work away from home more and have better social understand<strong>in</strong>g and<br />

contacts (Ban Lien-Lao Cai, Xy-Quang Tri, Phuoc Thanh and Phuoc Dai-N<strong>in</strong>h Thuan).<br />

Investment <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>frastructure projects help reduce the labour burden for women.<br />

In Luong M<strong>in</strong>h commune-Nghe An a project <strong>to</strong> improve the water supply has reduced<br />

the distance women have <strong>to</strong> travel <strong>to</strong> fetch water. In Xy commune-Quang Tri, a new road<br />

completed <strong>in</strong> 2009 enables men <strong>to</strong> use mo<strong>to</strong>rbikes <strong>to</strong> carry firewood and fetch water<br />

for women. In Ban Lien commune-Lao Cai, electricity newly supplied from the national<br />

grid, allows households <strong>to</strong> use mach<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> production (weed<strong>in</strong>g mach<strong>in</strong>es, tea driers)<br />

and use electric appliances (rice cookers) <strong>in</strong> the home, lessen<strong>in</strong>g the domestic work<br />

load for women.<br />

New household assets provide women with more leisure time. In lowland areas<br />

such as Duc Huong-Ha T<strong>in</strong>h, Thanh Xuong-Dien Bien, Thuan Hoa-Tra V<strong>in</strong>h, and Cu Hue-<br />

Dak Lak, more households own gas s<strong>to</strong>ves and fridges.<br />

Responsibility for household decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g varies between moni<strong>to</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>ts.<br />

In lowland and K<strong>in</strong>h dom<strong>in</strong>ated areas such as Thanh Xuong-Dien Bien, Duc Huong-Ha T<strong>in</strong>h,<br />

and Thuan Hoa-Tra V<strong>in</strong>h, major household decisions are based on consensus between<br />

husband and wife. Some K<strong>in</strong>h or Kh’mer women make their own decisions regard<strong>in</strong>g<br />

household affairs when their husbands are away. In remote mounta<strong>in</strong>ous ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority<br />

areas such as Thuan Hoa-Ha Giang, Ban Lien-Lao Cai, and Luong M<strong>in</strong>h-Nghe An and Xy-<br />

Quang Tri, men still dom<strong>in</strong>ate household decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g. However, over the last five<br />

years women are participat<strong>in</strong>g more <strong>in</strong> household affairs. In matriarchies such as the Ede<br />

<strong>in</strong> Cu Hue-Dak Lak, Raglai <strong>in</strong> Phuoc Dai and Phuoc Thanh-N<strong>in</strong>h Thuan, women rema<strong>in</strong><br />

the dom<strong>in</strong>ant decision makers with regard <strong>to</strong> major events such as marriage, <strong>in</strong>heritance<br />

and the purchase of major household assets.<br />

Gender and market relations<br />

Women dom<strong>in</strong>ate the production and sale of high demand short-term crops<br />

and low-value products. These <strong>in</strong>clude cassava and vegetables <strong>in</strong> Thuan Hoa-Ha<br />

Giang, tea <strong>in</strong> Ban Lien-Lao Cai, rice and vegetables <strong>in</strong> Thanh Xuong-Dien Bien, beans<br />

and peanuts <strong>in</strong> Duc Huong-Ha T<strong>in</strong>h, squash and bamboo shoots <strong>in</strong> Luong M<strong>in</strong>h-Nghe<br />

An, banana <strong>in</strong> Xy-Quang Tri, corn <strong>in</strong> Cu Hue-Dak Lak, beans <strong>in</strong> Phuoc Thanh-N<strong>in</strong>h Thuan,<br />

bamboo shoots <strong>in</strong> Phuoc Dai-N<strong>in</strong>h Thuan, and vegetables <strong>in</strong> Thuan Hoa-Tra V<strong>in</strong>h (Figure<br />

1.4). Men tend <strong>to</strong> dom<strong>in</strong>ate the production and sale of long-term crops or high<br />

value products such as buffalos, cows, pigs, coffee, pepper and tiger prawns.

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