Poverty among Indigenous Women in the Central Highlands of Vietnam: a Critical Analysis

Abstract

Poverty characterizes the lives of indigenous women in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Due to a lack of opportunities and resources, indigenous women become more socially vulnerable. We argue that there is a reciprocal relationship between collective social change and the likelihood of ethnic minority women in the Central Highlands escaping poverty. The data presented in this paper was collected from our 2019 ministerial-level scientific research study on creating a poverty reduction model for indigenous women in the Central Highlands, based on a sustainable livelihood framework. Historically, change occurs when individuals are part of a collective. Our findings suggest that the motivation to escape poverty increases collective action through social work, a strategy to overcome poverty.