Weathering the Global Economic Crisis - The Asia Foundation · The global economic crisis has...
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Weathering the Global Economic Crisis Supporting Vulnerable Populations in Vietnam and Thailand The Asia Foundation has been supporting Vietnam’s ongoing transformation since 1992, by promoting pri- vate sector and human- resource development, good governance, women’s empower- ment, environmental protection, and interna- tional relations. The Asia Foundation believes that local civil soci- ety organizations have a critical role to play in assisting disadvantaged populations during times of economic uncertainty. CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN VIETNAM AND THAILAND During periods of economic stability, Vietnam and Thailand have often been recognized as global development success stories, based on their achievement of strong growth rates, rising incomes, and reductions in extreme poverty. Nevertheless, these macroeconomic indicators of progress have also obscured serious structural and institutional weaknesses, many of which have been brought to light in the current global economic crisis. In both countries, government authorities and civil society leaders face limited options in attempting to offset the impact of the global recession on the poor. Effective civil society orga- nizations (CSOs) play a vital intermediary role between citizens and the state, and help address the negative consequences of the economic crisis on vulnerable groups. However, the economic downturn has made difficult for these organiza- tions to respond to the most urgent development needs of their constituents and communities, as funds available both domestically and abroad have declined. In partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, The Foundation is working to address the needs of some of those who have been hardest-hit by the economic crisis, including the urban poor, migrant laborers, and distressed rural communi- ties. The Foundation is achieving this goal through innovative and sustainable programs that strengthen local CSOs, create new liveli- hoods opportunities for villagers, and extend vital legal aid services to vulnerable populations. SUPPORTING MIGRANT LABORERS AND VULNERABLE RURAL COMMUNITIES IN VIETNAM CRITICAL SERVICES AND NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES Migrant workers in Vietnam are one of the most socially fragile groups in the country, and they The Asia Foundation has worked in Thailand since 1954, supporting peaceful conflict resolu- tion, citizen engage- ment in the political process, and innovative programs for more responsive and trans- parent governance. The global economic crisis has severely affected the export-dependent economies of Thailand and Vietnam, and threatens to undermine their development progress. The Asia Foundation (Foundation) is partnering with The Rockefeller Foundation to alleviate the impact of the recession in both of these coun- tries, by supporting civil society organizations to provide legal aid and crucial social services to the most vulnerable populations, and working with local communities to develop new income-generation prospects that can link local traditions and institutions to market opportunities. THAILAND & VIETNAM
Transcript of Weathering the Global Economic Crisis - The Asia Foundation · The global economic crisis has...
Weathering the Global Economic CrisisSupporting Vulnerable Populations in Vietnam and Thailand
The Asia Foundation
has been supporting
Vietnam’s ongoing
transformation since
1992, by promoting pri-
vate sector and human-
resource development,
good governance,
women’s empower-
ment, environmental
protection, and interna-
tional relations.
The Asia Foundation believes that local civil soci-ety organizations have a critical role to play inassisting disadvantaged populations during timesof economic uncertainty.
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN VIETNAM
AND THAILAND
During periods of economic stability, Vietnamand Thailand have often been recognized as global development success stories, based on their achievement of strong growth rates, risingincomes, and reductions in extreme poverty.Nevertheless, these macroeconomic indicators of progress have also obscured serious structuraland institutional weaknesses, many of which have been brought to light in the current globaleconomic crisis.
In both countries, government authorities andcivil society leaders face limited options inattempting to offset the impact of the globalrecession on the poor. Effective civil society orga-nizations (CSOs) play a vital intermediary rolebetween citizens and the state, and help addressthe negative consequences of the economic crisis
on vulnerable groups. However, the economicdownturn has made difficult for these organiza-tions to respond to the most urgent developmentneeds of their constituents and communities, as funds available both domestically and abroadhave declined.
In partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation,The Foundation is working to address the needsof some of those who have been hardest-hit bythe economic crisis, including the urban poor,migrant laborers, and distressed rural communi-ties. The Foundation is achieving this goalthrough innovative and sustainable programs that strengthen local CSOs, create new liveli-hoods opportunities for villagers, and extend vital legal aid services to vulnerable populations.
SUPPORTING MIGRANT LABORERS
AND VULNERABLE RURAL COMMUNITIES
IN VIETNAM
CRITICAL SERVICES AND NEW ECONOMICOPPORTUNITIES
Migrant workers in Vietnam are one of the mostsocially fragile groups in the country, and they
The Asia Foundation
has worked in Thailand
since 1954, supporting
peaceful conflict resolu-
tion, citizen engage-
ment in the political
process, and innovative
programs for more
responsive and trans-
parent governance.
The global economic crisis has severely affected the export-dependent economies of Thailand andVietnam, and threatens to undermine their development progress. The Asia Foundation (Foundation) ispartnering with The Rockefeller Foundation to alleviate the impact of the recession in both of these coun-tries, by supporting civil society organizations to provide legal aid and crucial social services to the mostvulnerable populations, and working with local communities to develop new income-generationprospects that can link local traditions and institutions to market opportunities.
THAILAND &VIETNAM
have been hurt by the declines in Vietnam’s garment,textile, and electronics industries. Rural communitieshave also been adversely affected. Villages with limitedeconomic opportunities struggle to absorb returningworkers who can no longer afford to stay in cities, whilelocal farmers face increasing threats of landlessness andunemployment as agricultural land is requisitioned bythe government for industrial or commercial develop-ment.
To address these challenges, The Foundation is support-ing local partners such as the Institute for CommunityHealth and Development (LIGHT), the Institute forPolicy, Law and Development (PLD), and the WorkerSupport Fund (WSF) to provide migrant and factoryworkers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with criticalservices including legal aid, counseling, and additionaltraining in basic IT and communication skills.
In rural areas, The Foundation is supporting local effortsto build new market opportunities based on Vietnam’scomparative advantages, whether in the agriculturalexport sector or in its rich tradition of artisanal handi-crafts. More specifically, in rural Southern Vietnam,The Foundation and our local partners are working toincrease the capacity of fruit and vegetable growers’cooperatives, with training in modern business manage-ment, marketing, and standards of clean agriculturalproducts. In the rural North, The Foundation is work-ing with the Vietnam Rural Industries Research andDevelopment Institute (VIRI) to develop community-
based tourism programs in under-employed villages thatare home to significant and potentially marketablehandicraft and folk-art traditions, including one ofVietnam’s most revered folk-singing styles.
Impact: A far-reaching network of CSOs and legal aid organizations will provide legal services, counseling,andhandbooks to hundreds of migrant workers andother vulnerable populations on an ongoing basis.Southern cooperatives will increase their access to morelucrative market segments, raise the incomes of theirmembers, and improve their viability as rural businesses.Rural communities across Northern Vietnam will havenew sources of income, and new incentives to preservelocal traditions.
ALLEVIATING ECONOMIC HARDSHIP IN THAILAND
A LABOR CRISIS CENTER FOR WORKERS IN NEED
Thai factory workers were among those hardest hit bythe effects of the global economic crisis. Thousands havelost their jobs with little or no compensation, whilethousands more have been forced to work for reducedsalaries. As most workers lack the leverage required todemand better pay, improved working conditions, orcompensation, they face a bleak future with few options.
The Labor Crisis Center (LCC) was established by TheAsia Foundation to provide disadvantaged workers withlegal aid and emergency assistance. The Center alsostrives to improve the long-term security of workers by
Nguyen Thi Them is a three-time winner of Vietnam’s national folk-singing championships, but she and her neighbors struggle with pover-ty and limited job opportunities. Her home village of Viem Xa, in BacNinh province, is regarded as the birthplace of Quan Ho singing, oneof Vietnam’s most important folk-art traditions, and recognized byUNESCO as an example of intangible cultural heritage. This project istraining villagers from Viem Xa and neighboring communities incommunity-based tourism, to promote and preserve local cultural her-itage, and linking them to markets through tour operators in Hanoi.
CONNECTING CULTURAL HERITAGE TO ECONOMIC SUSTAINABIL ITY
VIETNAM
strengthening labor groups and networks, and providingskills training and seed grants for innovative occupationalopportunities that improve the circumstances of theurban poor and migrant workers.
The LCC ensures that disadvantaged workers can accessthe justice system and advocate for their rights by:
• Offering information, counseling and crisis sup-port services at its Bangkok headquarters and inseven regional centers;• Supporting workers with pro bono legal aid andpublicizing their unfair treatment;• Creating a paralegal volunteer network and web-site: www.laborcrisiscenter.com; and• Instilling confidence in stakeholders to advocatefor rights protected under law.
In coordination with the Center, The Foundation conducts complementary programs such as capacity-building for CSOs working on labor issues, and trainingto help labor union leaders improve their campaignstrategies and expand their membership. Foundationsupport for legal aid and the training of volunteer paralegals draws on its previous experience with the successful Tsunami Rights and Legal Aid Center, whichprovided essential legal assistance to victims of the 2004Indian Ocean tsunami.
Impact: The Labor Crisis Center represents a newmodel for assisting workers in Thailand. It provides day-to-day emergency and legal assistance to workers inneed, while harnessing the power of grassroots partnersworking on labor issues and enabling them to sharehuman resources and additional expertise so that theycan advocate for stronger social safety nets that will protect workers against future crises.
The Asia Foundation’s program described above is carried out with support from TheRockefeller Foundation.
The Asia Foundation’s programs in Vietnam have been carried out with support from theUnited States Agency for International Development, the U.S. State Department’sBureau for East Asia Pacific Affairs and Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor,the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Bill andMelinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Goldman Fund, Estee LauderCompany, and many other public and private sources.
In Thailand, The Asia Foundation programs are also funded by the United States Agencyfor International Development, and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau for Democracy,Human Rights and Labor, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Royal Netherlands Embassy,and the United Nations Democracy Fund.
Within six months of opening its doors in March 2010, the Labor Crisis Center has provided legal aid and coun-seling services to 4,200 beneficiaries in over 175 cases. In addition, three occupational schemes have been initiated toencourage self employment for those awaiting the results of their legal claims.
To reach a broader audience on workers’ rights issues, The Asia Foundation’sThai-language TV talk show, Let’s Talk Rights, invited four experts on laborrights to discuss the impact of the global economic downturn on workers andemployment conditions in Thailand.
HELPING THOUSANDS OF WORKERS FROM ACROSS THAILAND’SINDUSTRIAL BELT
THAILAND
LET’S TALK RIGHTS
04/2011
ABOUT THE ASIA FOUNDATION
The Asia Foundation is a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization. Through itsprograms, The Foundation builds leadership, improves policies, and strengthens institu-tions to foster greater openness and shared prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. It is fund-ed by contributions from corporations, foundations, individuals, and governmental organi-zations in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia, and Asia, and an annual appropriation
from the U.S. Congress.
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THAILAND | Q. House Convent Bldg., Floor 6D | 38 Convent Road, Silom | Bangkok 10500Tel: 66 (2) 233-1644 to 1647 | Fax 66 (2) 237-7011 | [email protected]
VIETNAM | #10-03 Prime Centre | 53 Quang Trung Street | HanoiTel: 84 (4) 3943-3263 | Fax: 84 (4) 3943-3257 | [email protected]
www.asiafoundation.org
