IUCN’s Strengthening Voices for Better Choices (SVBC) project aims to promote the adoption of improved forest governance arrangements in Viet Nam and five other tropical forest countries in Asia, Africa and South America. This summary report is an output of a larger national study conducted by SVBC in Viet Nam. The study aimed to: i) identify policy, legal, institutional and economic obstacles to sustainable and equitable forest management at the local level; and ii) make recommendations for future SVBC activities.