In recent years, the socio-economic development has increasingly developed, especially in big cities, which are considered as “promised lands” for poor rural people who want to escape and “changing their lives”, looking forward to a new better life.

According to the population census results of the General Statistics Office in April, 2019: The Red River Delta is the country’s largest population concentration with 22.5 million people, accounting for 23.4%. In which, Hanoi is the most populous city (8,053,663 people) and has the second highest proportion of migrants in the whole country, accounting for 61.2% (209.3 thousand people).

 Overall, about 75% of the workforce (including migrants) are currently employed in the informal sector with more than 18 million jobs. They are mainly self-employed, unpaid care workers, workers in industrial parks or informal enterprises, or as factory workers with short-term labor contracts (Oxfam Report 2015). Most often, they have little or no legal protection and no bargaining power to ask for a raise. Therefore, in accessing, participating in, or benefiting from the policies of the Social Security Program (Social Insurance, Health Insurance, Unemployment Insurance, Social Allowance), they are unknown or skip. Only 23% of migrant workers in the informal sector have health insurance and none of them benefit from social insurance.

Facing the current trend of socio-economic transformation, one of the popular and easy-to-earn freelance careers, being chosen by many migrants in HCM, especially after Covid-19 epidemic (the number of unemployment people increased rapidly), is grab drivers of Grab Limited Company.

National target for the period 2012 – 2020: states that “Social security programs are established to ensure that all people have at least a minimum level of income and the opportunity to access basic social services. essential for education, health, housing, clean water, etc. as well as forming a social security system that covers the entire population, contributing to gradually increasing incomes, ensuring a safe, equal and happy life of the people”.  But in fact, many informal workers (self-employed) still have limitations and barriers in accessing and participating in these Social Security Programs and one of those typical subjects. is the workforce of technology drivers in general, and Grab drivers in particular.

Therefore, the initiative “Surveying the current condition and Promoting participation of Grab drivers to improve their access to social security schemes and working conditions” was designed to achieve the target Promoting Grab drivers’ access to social security schemes, identifying the employment relationship, protecting the rights, expanding the coverage of health insurance, social insurance, supporting legality and improving working conditions to the targeted objects: Technology drivers of Grab company in Hanoi, through: i) Increase the participation of Vietnamese General Labor Union (VGCL) in improving the policy and protecting the rights of technology drivers/ migrant workers. At the same time, ii) enhance mobilization of networking acting for migrant workers (M.net), labor research network (LRG) and other non-profit organizations, such as ILO, IOM in commenting on policy modification to targeted groups.

Estimated around 100.000 Grab drivers (of which about 50% are migrant workers from other provinces) in Hanoi will be participated and benefited from this proposal.

After that, Consultancy Center for Health and Community Development (CHD) together with Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (Labor Relations Department) and Grab Company conducted the first series of activities: 1) Survey the status of Grab technology drivers on working conditions and employment in terms of understanding, accessibility and participation in social security service programs; Need/desire to improve working conditions; 2) Conduct in-depth interviews with representatives of a number of ministries, departments, sectors, mass organizations, international organizations, Mnet network, and some labor experts, lawyers – comments on Labor Relations job; Limitations, barriers and policy “gaps” between Grab drivers and Social Security policies and programs.

Although the quarantine is being implemented in accordance with Directive 16 of the Government, in 03 weeks from 12^th to 31^st August 2021. Interviewers from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and the CHD Center actively and successfully interviewed 100 Grab technology drivers currently working in Hanoi, as well as having discussions with leading representatives of the Policy and Law Department of the General Confederation, the Institute of Workers and Trade Unions, the Legal Department of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Institute for Community Health Development Light – LIGHT, ILO, Oxfam…

The results of this survey, CHD and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor will present in the Talkshow scheduled at the end of September 2021.

Duration:       Oct. 2011

Location:        Bac Giang, Can Tho and An Giang

Funded by:   Asia Foundation

Coordinating agency: Department of Social Evil Prevention of MOLISA, DOLISA, Shelter/Center staff and INGOs

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The evaluation was conducted under the two-year program called the “Preventing Human Trafficking and Protecting Victims in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam”. The external evaluation objectives are to assess the quality of the design and execution of the project, examine the process as well outcome, and look at how likely the NMS will be adopted and what be the next steps in its implementation.

in Muong Cha and Tuan Giao Districts of the Project “Improving Maternal and Newborn Health Care in Dien Bien Province”.

Duration:               04/2013 to 09/2013

Location:               Muong Cha and Tuan Giao Districts, Dien Bien Province

Funded by:            Japanese Government, Implemented by the World Vision International Vietnam (WVV) and Department of Health, Dien Bien Province.

Coordinating agency: Department of Health of Dien Bien Province and Muong Cha and Tuan Giao District Health Centres.

Description:

Baseline survey objectives are: i) to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on maternal and newborn care of pregnant women and mothers with child under six months of age during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum; ii) to assess KAP on emergency obstetric care of pregnant women and mothers during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum; iii) to assess KAP on preparedness of  pregnant women and mothers; iv) to identify behavioural determinants in relation to maternal and newborn care practices among pregnant women, mothers and their caregivers; v) to assess practice of seeking health services for maternal and newborn care and identify behavioural determinants of pregnant women and mothers in seeking health services for maternal and newborn care and vi) to identify community needs on health education and communication relation with maternal and newborn care, including proper behaviour change communication (BCC) approaches and activities.

The KAP survey results have been used to design effective interventions for BCC activities on maternal and newborn health care for the next three years.

and ‘Free Health Care for Children under 6’ policies in ethnic minority areas, from user’s and provider’s perspective.

Duration:               10-12/2011 and 12/2012 – 8/2013

Location:               Hanoi; data was collected in Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, Binh Phuoc, Soc Trang and Dak Lak Provinces

Funded by:           UNICEF

Description:

The goal of this study is to provide comprehensive recommendations for enhanced effectiveness of the implementation of ‘Health Care for the Poor’ and ‘Free Health Care for Children under 6’ policies in ethnic minority areas. In addition, the study is expected to identify short-term as well as long-term policy measures that will ascertain equity in health care, to the benefit of ethnic minority people in general and ethnic minority children and women in particular.

The study objectives are to describe the current situation of access and utilization of health services among ethnic minority groups with free health cards for the poor and children under six, to identify strengths and weaknesses/challenges of the policy implementation mechanisms in ethnic minority areas, to describe factors affecting the access and utilization of health services among ethnic minority groups with free health care for the poor and children under six.

The consultancy assignment is to conduct re-analysis of the data set and finalization of the report.

UNICEF internal Report can be found at following links:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4affnaXomNHWFNUdXdtOFZpSm8/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4affnaXomNHYTVJMW16ZERUV2s/view?usp=sharing

of Project “Improving Maternal and Newborn Health Care in Dien Bien Province”.

Duration:               04/2013 to 09/2013

Location:               Muong Cha and Tuan Giao Districts, Dien Bien Province

Funded by:            Japanese Government, Implemented by the World Vision International Vietnam (WVV) and Department of Health, Dien Bien Province.

Coordinating agency: Department of Health of Dien Bien Province and Muong Cha and Tuan Giao District Health Centres.

Description:

Assessment objectives include: i) to identify current capacity of local health staff in providing quality safe motherhood services; ii) to identify the learning needs of health staff in improving quality services of safe motherhood in project sites and iii) to recommend a proper capacity building plan.

The results of training-needs have been used to design a capacity building program for service providers on maternal and newborn health care for the next three years.

in Vietnam Urban Childhood Blindness Prevention Project

Duration:               8/2012 to 11/2012

Location:              Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Funded by:           Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF)

Description:

The evaluation aimed to learn the results of activities that FHF implemented in provinces during phase one of the project. This evaluation is to contribute to identify the next project intervention activities of FHF in community, especially communication activities, raising people’s awareness on blindness prevention.