(VOVWORLD) - National Assembly deputies representing ethnic minority groups have made great contributions to building and implementing policies of the Party and State. In the upcoming National Assembly election scheduled for May 23, much attention will be paid to ensuring the quantity and quality of ethnic minority deputies to help improve the lives of ethnic minority people living in mountain and remote areas.
 (Photo: baosonla.vn) |
Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups. Throughout its revolutionary history, the Party and State have paid special attention to ethnic affairs to ensure solidarity, equality, and mutual support between groups. The equality of rights between ethnic groups is reflected in aspects: economics, culture, society, and politics. The equal political right is clearly evidenced in the exercise of representative and direct democracy. The proportion of ethnic minority NA deputies has increased from 16.5% in the 2nd tenure to 17.3% in the 10th tenure.
Continuation and promotion of achieved results
There are 86 ethnic minority deputies serving in the current NA. The law makers have demonstrated their dedication, responsibility, and enthusiastic participation in law building, oversight, and deciding major national issues. The current NA adopted two Resolutions on socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas. Resolution 88 sets the goal of raising the average income of ethnic minority people to half the national average and reduce poverty to below 10% by 2030 with 70% of communes meeting the criteria of new rural areas.
Nguyen Lam Thanh, a deputy for Lang Son province, said, 'The resolution addresses the problems faced by ethnic minority groups. This is the first time the NA has adopted a resolution that shows a desire to bring the mountain ethnic minorities up to the level of other localities and ensure equality with other ethnic groups.'
Quantity and quality are ensured
To Vietnam’s ethnic policies, deputies to the next NA need to improve their qualification, says Pham Giao of Quang Ngai province.
'It’s important to increase the number of deputies representing disadvantaged, remote, and ethnic minority areas. Deputies who understand the problems and aspirations of ethnic minority people will have recommendations for improving their lives,' says Giao.
To ensure the proportion of 18% ethnic minority deputies in the upcoming NA, people need to understand the importance of their votes, says Quang Van Huong, a deputy for Son La province:
'Communications activities need to make ethnic minority people familiar with the biography, capability, dedication, personality, and responsibility of deputies they will elect. Law makers elected by ethnic minority people will give them a voice and reflect their wishes at the NA.'