New toolkit sets criteria for the appraisal of development policies and programs in ethnic minority areas in Viet Nam

The Toolkit has been developed by tailoring UNESCO's Toolkit of Culturally Appropriate Programming and Culture Diversity Lens. Throughout its development a team of senior officials of CEMA with expertise in ethnic minority public policies, UNESCO specialists and leading national experts in public policy and anthropology have collaborated to ensure the applicability and effectiveness of the Toolkit through a series of working sessions.

In 2016, early on in the project, trainings on public policy, the application of UNESCO's Cultural Diversity Lens and other relevant cultural sensitivity concepts in policy making were provided to the team, equipping them with additional knowledge and skills for the development of the Toolkit.

The draft Toolkit consists of 23 criteria divided into three groups with a strong focus on the mainstreaming of a culturally appropriate approach into development programs and policies in ethnic minority areas. Following several internal review processes among different departments and technical institutions of CEMA, the toolkit was recognised in its response to the high need for technical guidance in the area of ethnic minority development.

During the workshop, each criteria was presented along with a set of recommended points for analysis. These criteria could be applied flexibly to support CEMA in formulating its own policies and programs as well as delivering better policy advice for other relevant government bodies.

Representatives from technical departments of CEMA as well as participants from provincial departments of ethnic minorities reiterated the need of such toolkit in guiding their work in assessing development projects, reflecting the rights and interests of ethnic minorities. Most participants further stressed the lack of guidance and measures for the appraisal of development projects, emphasizing that the toolkit would support responsible officials in providing appropriate recommendations and comments grounded on common, shared-criteria.

Participants also contributed in a simulation wherein they applied the toolkit in examining and providing appraisal comments on two examples of the most recent socio-economic development projects. Additionally, substantial inputs for the improvement of the Toolkit were compiled, including recommendations for the name of the toolkit, further mainstreaming cross-cutting issues such as gender equality and the development of introductory trainings once the Toolkit is finalized and endorsed.

Following the workshop, it is anticipated that the Toolkit will be officially endorsed and distributed widely to stakeholders and relevant ethnic minority officials.

For more information, please contact

• Ms. Tran Thi Thu Thuy, Culture Programme Officer, at tt.thuy@unesco.org