§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to link future aid to Vietnam to improvements in human rights. [25294]
§ Clare ShortThe Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets out every person's entitlement to social, economic, political and civil rights. Our work to support the reduction of poverty is focused on improving the human rights of the poor. Our expanding programme in Vietnam reflects the Vietnam Government's strong track record in reducing poverty from 74 per cent, of the population in 1984 to 37 per cent, in 1998. We are working to address the root causes of disadvantage, for example through rural livelihoods programmes in areas of remaining high poverty and large ethnic minority populations, and through work in primary education aimed at disadvantaged groups.