The second phase (2012-2016) of the on-going Industrial Relations Project, with an estimated budget of $3 million, will support the development of industrial relations, the wage system reform including the drafting of Minimum Wage Law and the implementation of the amended Labour Code and Trade Union Law.

Meanwhile, $1 million will be spent on the second five-year phase of the Sustaining Competitive Enterprises Project aimed to increase productivity and market-access of small and medium-sized enterprises while promoting respect for workers’ rights.

The Luxembourg government has contributed 980,000 euro ($1.27 million) to intensifying the ILO supports over youth employment promotion in rural areas in four countries including Vietnam.

A budget of $246,000 has also been allocated to the ILO project on Promoting Rights and Opportunities for People with Disabilities-Equality through Legislation during 2012-2013.

The project, a continuation of the previous projects, aims to create an enabling legal environment, promote skills and entrepreneurship development and measures to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities in Vietnam.

The first meeting of the Vietnam Decent Work Country Programme Steering Committee also highlighted the need to ensure decent jobs for all workers in the country during 2012-2016.

"Creating decent work opportunities for all, including the poor and the disadvantaged groups, will be a key to the success of Vietnam in poverty reduction and human resource development, especially in the context of the country’s demographic dividend,” said ILO Vietnam director Gyorgy Sziraczki.

Some 1.3 million Vietnamese are now unemployed. Among this group, those aged between 15 and 24 represent about half and youth unemployment is on the rise.

Even for those who are employed, the quality of jobs is another story. About 69 per cent of female workers now are in vulnerable group, compared to 54 per cent of males.

The 2012-2016 Decent Work Country Programme aims to improve the quality of the national economic growth through high quality of human resources, decent employment and sustainable enterprise development.

The programme will promote social protection and address the needs for decent work by the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

The programme is also expected to help Vietnam become a "modern-oriented industrialised country” by strengthening its labour market institutions and governance.

"The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the ILO have had a very successful co-operation over the past period, resulting in better employment legal systems, enhanced law enforcement and improved working conditions and labour standards in Vietnam,” said Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen.

"However, we realise that many challenges are still ahead, particularly in the context of industrialisation and international integration.”

The 2012-2016 Decent Work Country Programme is the second of its type in Vietnam. The first programme covered the period between 2006 and 2010.

The Vietnam Decent Work Country Programme Steering Committee, established in May 2012, is chaired by the Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and also composed of the presidents of employers’ organisations – Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, the president of workers’ organisation – Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, and the ILO Vietnam director.