Viet Nam Human Rights
Vietnam must do more to protect girls’ rights
2/11/16
Vietnam is recording the highest proportion of young people in its
history, with people between the ages of ten and 24 representing nearly 40
percent of the total population.
This was one of the findings of
The State of World Population 2016, released on October 21st in Hanoi by the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) in
collaboration with the Centre for Youth and Adolescents of the Vietnam Youth
Union.
The so-called “demographic
window of opportunity” presents Vietnam with a unique opportunity in its
history to make this golden period the driver for socio-economic prosperity and
for Vietnam’s efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,
according to the report.
The report said that forced
marriage, child labour, female genital mutilation and other practices
undermining girls’ health and rights threaten the development agenda in the
world.
Practices that harm girls and
violate their human rights prevent them from realising their full potential as
adults and from contributing to the economic and social progress of their
communities.
Ten is a pivotal age for girls
everywhere, as puberty approaches. In some parts of the world, a girl at this
age enjoys limitless possibilities and begins making choices that will
influence her education and, later, her work life.
But in other places, a girl who
goes through puberty is suddenly seen as a commodity that may be bought, sold
or traded, the UNFPA report showed. She may be forced to marry, pulled out of
school and expected to start bearing children and begin a life of servitude.
The report notes that of the
125 million ten-year-olds today, 60 million are girls who are systematically
disadvantaged at the global level as they move into adulthood.
Girls are less likely than boys
to complete formal schooling at the secondary and university levels, are more
likely to be in poorer physical and mental health, and will find it harder to
get paid work.
The range of proven policy
options available to governments has grown over the past decade. These include
banning harmful practices, such as child marriage and providing cash transfers
to parents of girls in poor households to help defray costs of schooling.
They also include providing
life-skills training and age-appropriate sexual education to girls approaching
puberty.
The challenge now, UNFPA’s
report says, is to scale up these interventions to reach more girls, especially
the poorest and most vulnerable, by age ten.
Addressing the event, Ritsu
Nacken, UNFPA Acting Representative in Vietnam said that today’s ten-year-old
girl will be 24 when the deadline for the United Nations’ new development
agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals, comes in 2030.
“That development agenda aims
for a world where every single person has an opportunity to fulfill her or his
potential – a world that leaves no one behind. With support from family,
community and nation, and the full realization of her rights, a ten-year-old
girl can thrive and help bring about the future we all want,” she said.
Both UNFPA and the Vietnam
Youth Union call on the Government of Vietnam and international community to
enhance efforts to ensure that every young person is well educated and healthy
with the chance to make their dreams come true./.
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All comments [ 10 ]
Today there are 250 million girls living in poverty. Gender inequality remains the most pervasive form of inequality around the world. In many parts of the world, girls suffer from inequality, discrimination and abuse, facing threats to their security, health and welfare.
Access to basic services will advance girls’ rights, but they will only be guaranteed when girls are empowered.
Girls everywhere should be able to access opportunities and resources, control their own lives, make decisions, and be able to contribute to the development process, nationally and internationally.
Progress in achieving gender equality can’t be reached without common efforts and adequate funding.
Educating girls is vital to society because girls who acquire education tend to become better mothers, and tend to have fewer, healthier and well-looked after children.
Organisations and governments to do more to protect women and girls in situations where sexual violence in conflict is still rife
The right to education was another key area addressed by the panel. Education is regarded as a protective factor against early pregnancy, violence, and early and forced marriage.
We all have women in our life that we care deeply about, mothers, sisters, daughters, granddaughters. And there are some really frightening issues facing them in this country right now, that need to be addressed.
The problems are much deeper rooted in the fabric of this society.
Forcing these women into male facilities doesn’t protect anyone, it is only begging for violence.
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