Vietnam has taken specific action programmes to prevent children from being exploited, sexually abused and trafficked and to help them stay away from drugs and crime, she told the conference on comprehensive development policy for children in Hanoi.

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong speaks at the conference on comprehensive development policy for children in Hanoi on November 23.

Vietnam has multiple legal provisions and provides special care to protect rights of vulnerable children such as orphans, abandoned children, homeless children, children with disabilities and those with HIV, she said.

Phong also emphasised the need to clearly identify the shortcomings and the causes of the shortcomings in enforcing the rights of children and seek solutions to tackle these issues.

Vietnam needs to adopt comprehensive development polices for children aged 0 – 8 and improve legal systems and policies relating juveniles, she added.

Vietnam was the first country in Asia and the second in the world to ratify the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, said Chief Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam Rana Flowers.

Vietnam can be proud of what the nation has achieved in enforcing children’s rights, notably incorporating the convention’s provisions and principles into the national laws, policies and programmes, Flowers said.

Over three decades after the convention was ratified, Vietnam has made many achievements in promoting and protecting the rights of children, she noted.

The conference was held by the NA’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children; the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs – the leading agency for child issues; and the UNICEF.

The conference took place as Asia-Pacific countries preparing for the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Early Childhood Development in Hanoi from December 4 – 6.

It aimed to raise awareness among policy makers of the threats to young children’s present and future environments, as well as opportunities to protect these environments.

10,000 runners to race for children with heart diseases

About 10,000 people are expected to take part in the 2019 Run for the Heart race, an annual event to support disadvantaged children with congenital heart diseases.

Projects for children’s smiles

(BGO) - The Children’s Support Fund of Bac Giang province (CSF) has mobilized a number of resources to support schools to carry out many projects and construction works having positive impacts on the community development instead of small gifts. These projects are aimed to create safe environment facilitating comprehensive development of the students in disadvantaged areas. 

US doctor provides free surgery for Vietnamese children

Doctor McKay McKinnon, a US expert in reconstructive, orthopaedic and maxilla-facial surgery, has returned to Vietnam to offer free surgery for Vietnamese children suffering from serious diseases such as neuroblastoma, brain hemangioma, vascular and eye malformations.

Competition offers Vietnamese children opportunities to reaching out to the world

Children from 6-15 years old have the opportunity to receive a prize worth VND30 million when participating in the “Thieu nhi Viet Nam - Vuon ra the gioi (Vietnamese Children – Reaching out the World)” contest by introducing their videos introducing their prominent local culture.

Da Nang marathon calls for efforts to protect children from sexual abuse

More than 300 volunteers who are athletes, officials from agencies, students and locals in the central city of Da Nang joined a marathon on October 1 to call for stronger public awareness of preventing trafficking and sexual abuse against children.

Source: VNA