Consultation workshop for the "Anthropological approach in ethnic minority affairs in Viet Nam" training programme

As part of UNESCO's ongoing support to the Council of Ethnic Minority Affairs in concretizing the anthropological and culturally appropriate approach in development, this joint endeavour comes at a time when the Government of Viet Nam has prioritized the adoption of a people-centred approach to development that respects diversity and is appropriate with the local context, especially in the case of ethnic minority groups, most of which live under the poverty line.

The training programme was developed by lecturers of the School for Ethnic Minority Cadres, under the auspices of the Council of Ethnic Minority Affairs, whose mandate is to strengthen the capacity of government officials working in ethnic minority affairs. It will be implemented as a regular capacity-building programme for ethnic minority cadres at the national, provincial and district level, and will later be utilized as part of the curriculum of the School for Ethnic Minority Cadres.

The key areas covered by this innovative training are: i) cultural diversity and development; ii) local participation in the policy cycle targeting ethnic minorities; iii) indigenous knowledge and sustainable development; iv) asset-based community development; and v) a one-day field excursion to apply the knowledge and skills developed during the programme in a practical setting.

Following an initial intensive capacity building exercise for lecturers of the School for Ethnic Minority Cadres, work under the supervision of lead anthropologists, who supported the development of the training materials, commenced. The draft training modules completed two test phases in which pilot training was held in Hoa Binh and Dak Lak Provinces in October 2015.

Providing technical input to line Ministries on ethnic minority-related policies requires staff at all levels of CEMA to develop the ability to critically analyse development issues from the perspective of the concerned community. Speaking at the workshop, H.E. Deputy Minister Phan Van Hung expressed his appreciation for the significant efforts made and emphasized that building capacity through adopting a culturally appropriate and anthropological approach to development is key to enhancing development effectiveness.

The consultation workshop resulted in a collection of contributed technical inputs for the revision of the training programme by participants from relevant departments under the auspices of the Council of Ethnic Minority Affairs and other researchers, before official endorsement by the Council of Ethnic Minority Affairs. Additionally, while the training modules cover important aspects of ethnic minority development, the Council of Ethnic Minority Affairs, particularly the School for Ethnic Minority Cadres, has the responsibility to sustain this momentum by extending the curriculum to other topics, such as participatory and community-based communication.

The training programme "Anthropological approach in ethnic minority affairs in Viet Nam" will enhance Viet Nam's implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 1 "No poverty" and Goal 8 "Decent Work and Economic Growth", and pave the way for the country's inclusive, sustainable development.