Vietnam should aim at compulsory social insurance for all citizens: Expert

Mr. Bui Sy Loi, former Vice Chairman of the Social Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, stated that it is necessary to identify new demands in each aspect when developing social policies. As to social insurance policies, he proposed compulsory social insurance for the whole population just like health insurance.


 

The meeting is held in Ho Chi Minh City, with the participation of representatives of the Southern provinces and cities.

He was speaking at a meeting co-organized yesterday by the Central Theoretical Council, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the International Labor Organization (ILO) to summarize 10 years implementing the Resolution of the fifth conference of the 11th Party Central Committee from 2012-2020 in the Southern region.

At the meeting, Mr. Loi raised certain issues that need breakthroughs: the State must devise social policies to show the shared responsibility among the State – the community – each citizen to ensure security, safety, and settlement; the institution must be synchronously and strongly reformed to be more flexible.

Head of the Institute of Labor Scienceand Social Affairs Bui Ton Hien reported that by 2021, Vietnam had certified over 9.2 million contributors to the national revolution, 1.2 million of whom are receiving regular financial support. 98.6 percent of families contributing to the revolution are now enjoying a higher standard of living than the average in the local area.

The proportion of poor households has reduced continuously by 1-1.5 percent a year to only 2.23 percent in 2021. The scope of subjects participating in social insurance has expanded significantly. The percentage of laborers taking part in social insurance increased from 21.6 percent in 2012 to 36 percent in 2021. The quantity of people joining in voluntary social insurance reached 1.5 million in 2021. Health insurance has covered 91 percent of the whole population. 30 percent of the current laborers are participating in unemployment insurance.

Social support has been effectively delivered to a wider range of subjects with more benefits. At present, Vietnam has 411 social support centers, including 180 state-owned ones. They are taking care of 41,000 people, most of whom are the disabled, the mentally ill, orphans, and abandoned children. As to ensuring basic social services of healthcare, education, accommodation, clean water, sanitation, updated information, the country has achieved impressive results.

Vietnam aims at completing the system of social policies to apply for the whole population by 2030. In 2045, the country will have a developed, modern, harmonious, and sustainable society where all citizens have their social security guaranteed.

In the meeting, representatives of state agencies and ministries, leaders of provinces and cities, as well as international organizations sited in Vietnam presented their speeches on the directions for social policies in the near future.

Concluding the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council Pham Van Linh stressed on the viewpoint to put humans at the center when developing social policies. These policies must be continuous and updated, transparent and scientific.

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