Poor households at 3.9mil under new standard

According Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Hang, Vietnam will have 22% of families, or 3.9 million households, below the poverty line under new international standards.

The mountainous north-western region of the country currently has the most poor families at 42%, followed by the Central Highlands, with 28%. The south-eastern region has the lowest rate, at 9%.

Ms Hang said that Vietnam reduced the percentage of number of poor families from 30% in 1992 to 8.2% in 2004, and to less than 7% in 2005 (under the old standards), adding that provinces and cities still need more programmes to help the poor.