B2.4.2. National REDD+ Program benefits, risks and measures related to gender equality
Viewpoint 1.4 of Viet Nam's National REDD+ Action Program (NRAP, 2017)[1] states that the REDD+ activities should address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, as well as forest governance issues, gender considerations and safeguards, ensuring the full and effective participation of relevant stakeholders, including women. National guidelines on the development of Provincial REDD+ Action Plans (PRAPs)[2] also ask provincial planners to evaluate the potential social and environmental benefits and risks in implementing identified REDD+ activities, including impacts on vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, the poor, and ethnic minorities.
Potential benefits and risks related to gender and social inclusion have been identified through REDD+ planning processes at the national and sub-national levels. These include the 2017 assessment of potential benefits and risks arising from the NRAP[3], in the development of PRAPs, the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) for the FCPF Program, and the assessment of Environmental and Social Considerations for the Project for Sustainable Forest Management in the Northwest Watershed Area SUSFORM-NOW (see S
The 2017 national-level assessment suggested a number of measures to contribute to gender equality, including that integrated land use planning and consultation processes for strategic environmental assessment/environmental impact assessment should integrate social parameters to avoid or mitigate access and use restrictions and loss of productive assets and livelihoods, with special attention to the inclusion of the poorest communities, ethnic minorities and gender issues.
An example at the subnational level is the Gender Action Plan of the Emission Reductions Program covering six provinces in Viet Nam's North Central region, which forms part of its Environmental and Social Management Framework. The objective of the Gender Action Plan is to promote women’s participation in the program, share in the benefits, and maximise gender equality, and it includes gender specific indicators to monitor outcomes and impacts.[4]
The proposed LEAF Program, which is based on the NRAP, is currently undergoing stakeholder consultations, including discussions of potential impacts. In the first round of consultations held in September-November 2023 at provincial, district and commune levels, of more than 1,700 participants, on average 17.5% were women.[5]
[1] NRAP (2017), Decision No 419/QD-TTg dated 5/4/2017
[2] Annex 2: Steps for PRAP Development, MARD Decision No. 5414/2015/QD-BNN-TCLN
[3] Richard McNally, Vu Tan Phuong, Nguyen The Chien, Pham Xuan Phuong, Nguyen Viet Dung (2016). The issues and Options support for the revision of Viet Nam’s national REDD+ Action Program (NRAP) 2016-2020
[4] FCPF ERP Action Plan for Gender Integration (2021): https://www.forestcarbonpartnership.org/system/files/documents/Action%20Plan%20for%20Gender%20Integration%20for%20the%20ER-P.pdf
[5] LEAF Program stakeholder consultation report (2024): https://vnff.vn/en-us/leaf-program/soi-and-others