National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) receives Kamal
Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator UNDP's Resident Representative
in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)
The top legislator hailed the support of the UN and UNDP for socio-economic
development in Vietnam, as well as the contributions of UNICEF to the
sustainable growth and the protection of children’s rights in the country.
Kamal Malhotra congratulated Vietnam on being the first country in Asia and
second in the world to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (in
1990). Since then, the NA and relevant agencies of Vietnam have exerted various
efforts to protect and take care of children.
He expressed his hope that Vietnam will continue the work towards changing the
definition of a child’s ceiling age to that of 18 years old, as stated in the
convention.
The NA Chairwoman agreed with Malhotra’s proposal, stressing that Vietnam has
rolled out specific measures to ensure children’s rights, including building its
legal system and the formation of a National Committee on Children.
In order to better respond to realistic requirements amidst international
integration, as well as fully promote children’s rights, the NA has made
comprehensively adjustments to and approved the Child Law 2016, making it
coherent with regulations in the convention and other relevant international
commitments, she noted.
She said that the Children Law 2016 regulates that children are those under the
age of 16, but the country’s law defines that only citizens from the age of 18
years old and up can bear full responsibility before the law. Those aged between
16 and 18 are adolescences and still protected by the law, she added.
The NA of Vietnam has regularly supervised the implementation of the Child Law
2016, while continuing to research theoretical, scientific and realistic
foundations to consider the change in defining the age of children, said the top
legislator.
Adbel-Jelil also spoke in recognition of Vietnam’s special policies to protect
citizens aged between 16-18 years old, while also applauding the NA’s role in
safeguarding and caring for children.
The Vietnamese Government has shown strong determination in the work, evidenced
through the national online conference on August 6 on the protection of children
against violence, abuse, and risks to their life and health, he noted.
The UNICEF representative said that the fund is working with the Vietnamese NA
Standing Committee’s Institute for Law-Building Research to study the social
impacts once the change in definition of children’s age is applied.
The study, which is scheduled to conclude in late 2018, is expected to provide
useful information assisting the completion of the law and relevant policies of
Vietnam, he said.
He also showed his pleasure at the partnership between UNICEF and the NA,
pledging to continue offering financial support to the process, which he
described as a priority for UNICEF in 2019.
Source: VNA