TRAFFIC and Vietnam plan strengthened wildlife legislation and communications

November 21, 2020 | 12:33

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Wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC proposed to strengthen Vietnam's national conservation laws to bolster the enforcement and ways in which communications campaigns could best support wildlife legislation.

traffic and vietnam plan strengthened wildlife legislation and communications

TRAFFIC and the National Assembly of Vietnam held a dialogue bringing together 50 parliamentarians, government officials, and conservation experts to plan a long-term wildlife legislation and communications strategy.

On November 20, TRAFFIC and the National Assembly of Vietnam held a dialogue bringing together 50 parliamentarians, government officials, and conservation experts to plan a long-term wildlife legislation and communications strategy.

Parliamentarians discussed the need for harmonisation and a clear delineation of responsibilities in future wildlife protection legislation. A lack of clarity in present laws was highlighted as the main factor mitigating effective enforcement.

Vietnam has made progressive achievements in enacting legal tools to end wildlife trafficking, however, there is a need for improvements in legislation. The National Assembly committed to support these efforts and encourage government leaders at all levels to come together to counter wildlife crime.

TRAFFIC led a discussion around the application of social and behaviour change communications (SBCC) to support laws against the consumption of rhino horn, ivory, and other illegal wildlife products. SBCC is an evidence-based communications approach designed to promote and sustain positive behaviours by delivering culturally specific messages to multiple levels of society.

Sarah Ferguson, director of TRAFFIC in Vietnam

“The method has great potential to drive down demand for illegal wildlife products and call on government officials to step forward as agents of change against wildlife crime,” said Sarah Ferguson, director of TRAFFIC in Vietnam.

Despite government efforts, Vietnam remains a transit and destination point for illegal wildlife trade. Discussion points and recommendations from this dialogue will be collected into a reference guide to be kept in the National Assembly library and used to drive the development of effective future wildlife legislation and communications measures to counter wildlife trafficking.

The event was made possible through funding from Save the Rhino International aimed at empowering government officials to stand against the consumption of illegal wildlife products.