The right of information access is one of the fundamental human rights that are stated in Vietnam`s Constitution. Vietnam’s first law on information access, effective as of July 1, provides a crucial opportunity for state authorities, social organizations and citizens to increase information transparency in general and narrow the gap of information for ethnic minorities in particular, according to non-governmental organization CARE. A CARE’s survey in 2017 in five communes in Cao Bang, Bac Kan and Dien Bien found that although ethnic minority people, who make up the majority of the populations in these provinces, can access multiple types of information, women have much less access than men and there are different levels of satisfaction with the information they can access. The survey found that most people are generally happy with information regarding education, healthcare and general social welfares; yet are less happy with information related to laws, policies and social affairs as for them, such information is available but inadequate, not up to date, and irregular. The level of satisfaction is lowest when it comes to the group of information that is perceived as most relevant to their daily lives, including information on economic development, agricultural market, available credit programs, and agricultural extension programs. The survey also revealed that most information disseminated by local authorities is one-way and limited in formats and channels, thus reducing the effectiveness of information. According to the same survey, ethnic minority women are still catching up with their male fellow villagers who are the main participants in village meeting. Ethnic minority men also have better access to different sources of information such as specialized trainings, printed materials (posters, leaflets, etc.), bulletin boards or mini-library. Because these sources are mostly available in offices of communal People’s Committee, ethnic minority women, who generally are less mobile than men, are less likely to access the information. “Ethnic minority women’s limited access to information, combined with women’s lower educational level as compared to men and gender stereotypes, makes it harder for them to increase their voice and decision-making power within the family and the larger community,” said Le Kim Dung, country director of CARE International in Vietnam. To address these challenges, CARE has cooperated with various stakeholders, including local NGOs and government agencies, to raise awareness on the Law on Access to Information and support the law enforcement at local level. Six communal communication and information committees in Cao Bang, Bac Kan and Dien Bien have been set up as a communication and information sharing mechanism between local authorities and villagers and among villagers themselves. Such mechanism takes into account the cultural and ethnical contexts in each area. This initiative is part of the European Union-funded project called “Increasing ethnic minority women’s access to information for improved governance and development”, also known as the Informed to Influence or I2I project, that works to enhance government transparency and accountability for promoting ethnic minorities’ right to access information. Within the four years of the project (2017-2020), it will improve women’s access to and use of information relevant to their daily lives and work. For the first time, this right is specified in the five chapters and thirty-seven articles of the law on information access, which stipulate the exercise of citizens’ right of access to information; the principles, sequences and procedures for the exercise of the right of access to information, and the responsibilities and obligations of state agencies to guarantee citizens’ right of access to information. (Hanoi Times July 13)
