Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the event (Source: VNA) |
He made the statement during a teleconference held by the Vietnam Women’s Union
(VWU)’s Central Committee in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on March 6 to launch
“The Safety Year for Women and Children”, contributing to the national action
plan for the United Nations (UN) Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030.
The PM said legal regulations on gender equality, domestic violence prevention,
health care, education, rights protection, and women empowerment have been
refined.
The State has provided free health insurance for children aged below 6 while
nearly all children benefited from the expanded vaccination programme, nearly
all those aged 5 attended preschools, and about 90 percent of children living in
difficulties enjoyed social support.
He lauded the VWU for raising public awareness of gender equality and the
importance of ensuring safety for women and children in the fulfillment of
sustainable development goals.
Ministries, agencies, mass organisations and localities were asked to review
action plans, propose regulations and policies on social safety and welfare for
children and women, seriously punish violations affecting their lives, health
and dignity.
VWU Central Committee Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thu Ha said 61 women and seven
children suffered domestic violence and three children were victims of sexual
abuse each day during 2012-2015.
UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Kamal Malhotra said discrimination and
violence against women and children, especially girls, are the most popular
violation of human rights in the world, which is also the least prosecuted
crime.
This year, the VWU Central Committee will take specific actions at the local and
central levels such as holding communication campaigns on safety for women and
children on television and radio stations, issuing publications, organising
conferences and dialogues with ministries, agencies and localities, reviewing
and proposing legal regulations, holding capacity training for female officers
and those involved in the work.
On the occasion, two photo exhibitions on the theme were also launched together
in the two cities, together with a display of safe farm produce and consultancy
on health care and laws for women and children.-VNA