Social Progress for Human Development

The 2011 Viet Nam Human Development Report finds that economic growth has been the major driver of Viet Nam’s human development progress, while health and education have contributed less to overall progress. The 2011 report argues that the same level of priority and investment now needs to be given to improving human development outcomes as is accorded to growing Viet Nam’s economy. Furthermore, the progress made at the national level masks large disparities at the sub-national level. Together with economic status and ethnicity, regional and geographic disparities are among the most important determinants of inequality in Viet Nam. All of these are hindering Viet Nam’s progress to higher levels of human development.