Participa<strong>to</strong>ry poverty moni<strong>to</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> rural communities <strong>in</strong> <strong>Viet</strong> <strong>Nam</strong> 44 FIGURE 1.4. Participation of women <strong>in</strong> market cha<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> 2011
Five-year Synthesis Report Part 1: <strong>Poverty</strong> Trends and Key Themes of <strong>Rural</strong> <strong>Poverty</strong> <strong>Reduction</strong> More ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority women participate <strong>in</strong> buy<strong>in</strong>g and sell<strong>in</strong>g than five years ago. The ma<strong>in</strong> reasons are improvements <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>frastructure, communication and <strong>in</strong>formation; the emergence of more markets, shops, and street vendors; and improved education for young ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority women. 45 In Xy commune-Quang Tri a new asphalted road (completed <strong>in</strong> 2009) runn<strong>in</strong>g through the commune brought an <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> the number of shops and street vendors <strong>in</strong> the commune, provid<strong>in</strong>g Van Kieu women with opportunities <strong>to</strong> access markets. More women now understand and play a role <strong>in</strong> manag<strong>in</strong>g household f<strong>in</strong>ances. In Ban Lien-Lao Cai, ethnic m<strong>in</strong>ority women take are more <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> buy<strong>in</strong>g and sell<strong>in</strong>g. In 2007, H’Mong men often kept money and under<strong>to</strong>ok transactions. However, by 2011 many H’Mong women knew how <strong>to</strong> keep money and sell and buy small th<strong>in</strong>gs worth less than 100,000 VND. In Tay villages, <strong>in</strong> 2008, Ban Lien market, established <strong>in</strong> the commune centre, helped improve the market participation (Box 1.9). BOX 1.9. Impacts of the newly built market on women <strong>in</strong> Ban Lien commune Ban Lien (Bac Ha, Lao Cai) is a remote commune. Before 2007, women had little contact with the outside world. S<strong>in</strong>ce 2008, Ban Lien market has provided opportunities for women <strong>in</strong> the commune: • Women spend less time go<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> market: “In the past, we had <strong>to</strong> walk <strong>to</strong> Bac Ha <strong>in</strong> the middle of the night, light<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong>rches, as flashlights were not available, and the road was difficult <strong>to</strong> walk. Today it is very convenient, buy<strong>in</strong>g and sell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the commune. If we have money we can buy everyth<strong>in</strong>g. Fish and meat are available every day”. • People have more opportunity <strong>to</strong> buy and sell products: “In the past, there was only a butcher. He forced us <strong>to</strong> sell tea <strong>to</strong> him at a low price while sell<strong>in</strong>g meat <strong>to</strong> us at high price. Now that the market is established, there are more traders and we can sell our tea at a higher price and meat, season<strong>in</strong>g powder, and soap is cheaper”. • Women can sell many products <strong>in</strong> the market: “In the past households with surplus vegetables gave them away as they could not be sold. Today, they can sell <strong>in</strong> the market <strong>to</strong> new households who are not yet able <strong>to</strong> grow vegetables”. • Increas<strong>in</strong>g accessibility <strong>to</strong> market <strong>in</strong>formation of women: “Today women can update <strong>in</strong>formation very quickly. People talk <strong>to</strong> each other: “I can sell tea at a price of 50,000 VND while you only sold it for 40,000 VND “. We know what prices are do<strong>in</strong>g”. • Improv<strong>in</strong>g capacity of communication and calculation of women: “Now only women go <strong>to</strong> the market. Women can take hold of more money because they sell tea at the market. Some, who did not know about money, now know about it. At the market we can talk <strong>to</strong> each other more and more”. Domestic violence There are fewer cases of physical violence at all moni<strong>to</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>ts. In 2007, <strong>in</strong> communes such as Thuan Hoa-Tra V<strong>in</strong>h, Phuoc Thanh, Phuoc Dai-N<strong>in</strong>h Thuan, Xy- Quang Tri and Cu Hue-Dak Lak, domestic violence was common. In some cases women required medical treatment. By 2011, local people and officials agreed that physical violence was on the decl<strong>in</strong>e, with fewer cases brought <strong>to</strong> the commune headquarters for settlement. In Pa Dong village, Thanh Xuong commune, Dien Bien <strong>in</strong> 2008, 6 domestic violence cases were brought <strong>to</strong> the commune for settlement. In 2011, there was only one case. In Cu Hue, Dak Lak, there were n<strong>in</strong>e cases of domestic violence cases <strong>in</strong> 2009 and none <strong>in</strong> 2011. Similarly, <strong>in</strong> Thuan Hoa, Tra V<strong>in</strong>h, there were seven recorded cases <strong>in</strong> 2007 and none <strong>in</strong> 2011.