Economic development as sociated with social security

04/09/2024 09:40 AM


Enters 2024, the economy is gradually recovering, with GDP growth, each quarter higher than the previous quarter. The positive signals of our country's economy make our entire Party, people and army enthusiastic in implementing the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress. However, maintaining economic growth must be associated with ensuring social security.

There is an undeniable fact that Vietnam's economy continues to grow despite the economic slowdown. world affected by crisis and political conflicts. From a backward economy, Vietnam has risen to the Top 40 leading economies in the world, Top 20 economies with the largest trade turnover in the world, an important link in 16 Free Trade Agreements.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasted that in 2024, the global economy will grow by about 2,9% of gross domestic product (GDP), of which Vietnam will grow by about 5,8%, which is twice as high as the world average and is among the 20 economies with the highest growth rate in the world in 2024.

In fact, Vietnam enters 2024, the economy is gradually recovering. However, One of the requirements of the economy for people is to ensure the right to social security with a minimum income and to ensure access to basic social services for everyone. 
Vietnam’s social security model has proved to be preeminent and suitable to the country’s socio-economic conditions as well as its development toward socialism. However, despite undeniable accomplishments, limitations and shortcomings still exist. This article reviews the situation and suggests orientations for development of social security in Vietnam. 
Firstly, Vietnam has managed to set up a comparatively complete and comprehensive social security system with four major pillars: employment support and poverty reduction; social insurance; social assistance; and basic social services. These pillars have been operating in a relatively harmonious and synchronous manner, bringing about remarkable social security achievements highly appreciated by the people and international community. Regardless of whether the approach of life cycle, social protection floor or income risk response is applied, Vietnam’s social security model has sufficient mechanisms, programs and policies targeting different groups of beneficiaries, thus meeting social security demands in a fairly complete manner.

Secondly, the social security model of Vietnam is quite clear in its organizational structure, operational objectives and principles, as well as mechanisms for mobilizing and using resources and for making contributions to, and enjoying benefits from, social security schemes. Hence, Vietnam’s social security system can operate smoothly while adhering to the principles of universal access, sharing, equity and sustainability. In addition to the State’s resources which play an important role, social security programs also make use of social resources, contributions from employees and employers as well as voluntary contributions of individuals and organizations at home and abroad.

Thirdly, Vietnam has constantly renovated and improved its social security model in order to the extend social security coverage and increase social assistance levels, thus better meeting essential security needs of the people. Social security programs and policies have been renewed to be more effective, social security schemes extended, and the life of people, particularly those from disadvantaged groups, markedly improved.

Fourthly, the social security model has brought about the encouraging results which are acknowledged by the international community.

Particularly in the field of employment support and poverty reduction, the country has gained impressive achievements. 
Positive changes are also seen in the social insurance sector. Social insurance coverage has been broadened while insurance regimes have been improved, better meeting laborers’ security needs. The system of social insurance agencies has been set up from the central to local level. The legal system on labor and social insurance has been step by step improved. New social insurance schemes such as voluntary social insurance, family-based health insurance, and unemployment insurance are implemented while the scope of traditional ones, including compulsory social insurance and health insurance, is expanded. The procedures for the people to participate in social insurance and claim insurance benefits are getting simpler and more convenient.

Due attention has been paid to social assistance, contributing to 

guaranteeing the life of beneficiaries such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and persons affected by natural disasters. Social assistance services have also been gradually socialized, drawing the voluntary participation of social and business communities.

Improvement of basic social services, particularly education, healthcare, clean water, housing and communications, which serve as criteria for measuring poverty using the multidimensional approach, is another achievement of the social security sector in recent years. A raft of policies on development of social service infrastructure facilities.
in deep-lying and remote areas and areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups have been adopted in order to improve access to school, healthcare, clean water and information. Poor people and children have been given priorities and support in access to education and health services. Thanks to these efforts, Vietnam is now listed among countries with a high Human Development Index with impressive results in reduction of poverty in general and multidimensional poverty in particular and over 93 percent of the population covered by health insurance.

Access to social security is critical for ending extreme poverty and boosting prosperity on a livable planet. It is a lifeline for poor people. In order to provide people with better protection against income risks and easier access to basic social services, the social security system should be further renovated In the coming time.
To further improve the social safety net in Vietnam towards an economy for people, it is necessary to build a multi-layered social security net based on the ILO social security floor model.
At the first tier is basic social security, which provides basic security, income security and basic living conditions for people. First of all, universal health care is through universal health insurance coverage. All people in the society are entitled to medical care and have health insurance to pay for when they are unfortunately sick or ill. For those who have jobs and income, they must pay compulsory health insurance and receive care through health insurance.
Secondly, social security is for children. Children are considered as the national future and they are guaranteed the minimum security rights, such as adequate food and nutrition, clothing and access to basic social services, such as education and health care, housing, clean water, information. 
Thirdly, social security for the elderly, the disabled, and people who are unable to work.Fourthly, social security is for the poor, unemployed or underemployed.  
For those who are able to work, the guarantee of income at risk or in retirement is based on social security in the second and third tiers.The pillar of the second tier is the social insurance system based on the contributions of workers and employers. Accordingly, all employees and employers participate in paying social insurance premiums at the prescribed rate and are entitled to the social insurance regime in case of loss of income due to illness, disease, or loss of health, employment, maternity, or post-retirement. The level of social insurance benefits is partly based on the contribution level and partly on the principle of sharing among the subjects participating in social insurance. The payment-enjoyment regime ensures fairness between the public and private sectors, between compulsory social insurance and voluntary social insurance. In addition to the social insurance regime, this target group often has conditions to enjoy basic (and advanced) social services, job support in case of joblessness, and social assistance in case of unfortunate circumstances of getting risk.

If the second tier is based on compulsory and voluntary social security at a predetermined level, the third tier is enhanced social security for individuals and households who want to enjoy higher social security. Households and individuals can buy more social insurance to have a high pension when they get old, or they can buy additional health insurance for better care. They can also contribute to good social service in the form of socialization.

With this security net, all people are guaranteed minimum social security, everyone has guaranteed income and access to basic social services. This is the foundation for building an economy for people in Vietnam.

PV