Child protection from grassroots level

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the national conference on child protection, Ha Noi, August 6, 2018. Photo: VGP

Addressing at the national conference on child protection on Monday, PM Phuc highlighted Viet Nam was the first Asian country to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Child protection and education have become an integral part of the Constitution and several legal documents.
The Government has provided free healthcare insurance to all children under six years of age and nearly 100% children aged five and under go to nursery schools.
The National Expanded Program on Immunization has provide vaccines free of charge to nearly 100% Vietnamese children below one year old.
Meanwhile, a number of good examples on child protection have been launched effectively, including the national hotline number, 111, which came into operation since June last year and offers a round-the-clock telephone consultancy about law, policies, knowledge, and skills regarding the implementation of the rights of the child and child protection.
The Government chief however, pointed out several shortcomings, especially the stunted growth rate among children aged under five remains high, about 24%.
As many as 2,000 children drowned, making drowning one of the leading causes of mortality in Viet Nam while traffic accidents killed nearly 2,000 children every year.
About 2,000 cases of children falling victims to violence and abuse were reported and handled by functional agencies, of which over 60% involving sexual abuse, according to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.
In the first half of 2018, 682 violations against children were reported. Particularly, as many as 21.3 percent of sexually abused children were victims of their family members, 59.9% were attacked by neighbors and relatives, and only 12.6% by strangers.
Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam said that the real figures would be much higher as many harassing behaviors are still thought to be “normal” in the society.
Strategic task
PM Phuc said that creating good and healthy environment for children is a strategic task in order to ensure sustainable and long-term development. This is the responsibility of the whole political system and sectors from central to local levels as well as of each community and each family.
Child abuse, especially sexual abuse, is “unacceptable” and “can not be tolerated legally and morally”, said the Government chief.
He tasked the Ministry of Education and Training to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to design skills training courses for children to protect themselves.

The National Committee for Children needs to conduct periodical inspection tours to ministries, agencies and localities to inspect child protection responsibilities./.