Abstract

This article analyzes the current situation and proposes strategies to enhance the agency and substantive participation of ethnic minority communities (EMCs) in the socio‐economic development of Northwest Vietnam, with a focal case study in Sơn La Province (where ethnic minorities constitute 83% of the population). Employing a mixed‐methods approach, the study integrates secondary data analysis (Gross Regional Domestic Product [GRDP] for 2019–2024), field surveys, and in‐depth interviews. Findings reveal that per capita GRDP in 2024 is estimated at VND 56.8 million—an increase of VND 16.2 million since 2019—while the annual GRDP growth rate averaged 4.56%. Vocationally trained labor accounts for 61.5% of the workforce, over 85% of whom are ethnic minorities. Multidimensional poverty among ethnic minority households declined from 34.5% in 2015 to 20.4% in 2019, though this remains above the national average. Furthermore, EMCs have increasingly engaged in New Rural Development programs, cultural preservation initiatives, policy oversight mechanisms, and education—82% of enrolled students between 2010 and 2021 were from ethnic minority backgrounds. Nevertheless, disparities in educational attainment persist; the risk of falling back into poverty remains high; access to basic social services (healthcare, education, housing, clean water, information) is constrained; and infrastructure is insufficient. The study concludes by recommending the refinement of ethnic policies toward genuine empowerment, the diversification of development models, increased investment in education and vocational training, and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods, while integrating traditional cultural values with modernization to bolster social welfare and strengthen community‐led monitoring.

Keywords

  • The Agency
  • Socio‐Economic Development
  • Ethnic Minorities
  • Participation
  • Sơn La Province.

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