Vietnam currently has several millions of children living in poor families, over 200,000 orphans and handicapped children, and thousands of child victims of Agent Orange and HIV/AIDS in need of intensive care and treatment, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA).

Dr. Tran Thi Thanh Thanh, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children’s Rights (VAPCR), gave an interview to a VOV reporter on International Children’s Day (June 1).

VOV: As head of the VAPCR, one of Vietnam’s first social organisations for children’s affairs, can you tell us about the major activities that the Association is carrying out?

Dr. Thanh: The VAPCR was only established recently but has been already implementing some pilot models of services. The first is one to build a community-based children protection network in two hamlets in Ninh Hai commune, Ninh Hoa district in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa. In these two hamlets, there are 1,000 children living in sub-standard conditions, including 100 in special difficulties. The Association has set up a volunteer group consisting of 15 members who have a knowledge of the laws and the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child. They are also provided with child protection skills. The VAPCR has also established children’s clubs to promote mutual understanding. In the future, we will expand this model in more remote areas where the local people are not fully aware of children’s rights.

VOV: What do you think of the average Vietnamese person’s awareness of children’s rights?

Dr. Thanh: Public awareness of children’s rights in Vietnam has recently made some remarkable progress. Previously, many Vietnamese people did not know what children’s rights were, and some did not even accept that children as any rights. At present, most people accept that children have rights. However, there remains a difference in the level of people’s awareness. Children’s rights should be written into the country’s socio-economic development plans, especially programmes on nutrition and education. Even so, people living in remote areas have not yet been made fully aware of children’s rights so they often break the law.

VOV: For many years you have been involved in protecting children’s rights. What experiences do you want to share with others?

Dr. Thanh: I have an unforgettable memory of when I visited a class in Da Bac district in the northern province of Hoa Binh. Before I went there, I had heard that the class was the best of its kind in Da Bac, as the local authorities there offer many incentive policies for poor children. After the class, many pupils’ parents claimed that they had to buy books for their children. The school did not buy books for poor pupils as they had promised. After that, I realised that hearing reports is not enough, you need to make fact-finding tours and listen to local people’s opinions. Fact-finding trips have helped me a lot in my management work.

VOV: Vietnam was the second country in the world and the first country in Asia to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 20 years ago. Has the country since introduced a comprehensive system on child protection?

Dr. Thanh: Vietnam has developed a comprehensive system to ensure children’s rights at all levels. We also built an action plan for children from central to grassroots levels. However, most of the officials and staff, who had been equipped with professional skills for child protection and care, changed their careers after the administrative reforms. Therefore, the country now faces a shortage of staff in charge of children’s affairs.

VOV: What message do you want to send to children and their parents on International Children’s Day?

Dr. Thanh: The message I want to send to them is that the Party and State always offer incentive policies for disadvantaged children. If any children have difficulties, they should let other people know and call for help. Children should focus on their studies, raise their self confidence and understand the incentive policies they are enjoying. For adults, I want to tell them that there are many underprivileged children in our country and we should also work together to ensure a better future for children.

VOV: Thank you.

Source: VOV