TRAFFIC initiative to drive down tiger product consumption in Viet Nam
Ha Noi, Viet Nam, 10th December 2020—TRAFFIC launched a three-year social marketing programme today aiming to reduce demand for tiger products in Viet Nam. The project will draw upon behavioural science to discourage the medicinal use of tiger products in the country, which is recognised as a main destination market for illegal tiger trade.
The launch event welcomed 60 government leaders, traditional medicine practitioners, and other project partners, and featured presentations explaining how the project will contribute to a change in social norms throughout Vietnamese society.
TRAFFIC will address individual demand through a multimedia behaviour change campaign while calling on government partners, such as the National Assembly, Ministry of Health, and Central Committee of Propaganda and Education, to strengthen their policies towards wildlife protection. Representatives within the traditional medicine sector will be key project allies in working to mobilise their peers against the prescription of illegal wildlife products and promote legal alternatives.
We support this project as a positive effort to protect the reputation, credibility, and sustainable future development of the traditional medicine sector in Viet Nam.
Dr Tran Xuan Nguyen of the Vietnam Oriental Traditional Medicine Association.
Despite a global ban on trade in tigers, demand for tiger products in Vietnam remains strong, with a TRAFFIC consumer survey from 2017 finding that 6% of respondents had used tiger products and that 64% of them would recommend tiger products to others. Tiger bone glue was revealed to be the most popular tiger product and will be the focus of the project.
Viet Nam has the power to make a huge impact on the future of tigers. This project will not only work to discourage tiger product consumption, it will seek to facilitate the country’s leadership on global conservation issues.
Sarah Ferguson, Director of TRAFFIC’s Viet Nam office.
The project is being funded by the UK government through the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.
