Project promotes gender equality in Vietnam

 Students and teachers from 57 junior secondary schools attended a music gala to promote the ‘Love Project Journey' on gender equality at East Sea Park on August 23.

The project, which is being run by Spanish NGO Pazy Desarrollo in cooperation with the Spanish Embassy in Vietnam, has been implemented at 30 secondary schools in the central city of Da Nang since 2012.

The project has raised awareness among more than 18,000 students, teachers, parents and staff at the Department of Education on gender equality issues and prevention of gender violence, and equipped with the skills and knowledge essential for the future of the city.

Various communications activities including road-shows, free photography shoots, stalls for students involved in the project and a mini game show have been open in the city since on August 21.

This project aims to educate people on gender equality and the prevention of gender violence.

In a survey conducted two years ago, 34 percent of students surveyed said teachers often punished them by slapping them in the face of on the wrist, while 33 percent were hit with objects. At least 260 schoolgirls said they were victims of physical violence at school.

It also found that nearly 90 percent of students could not talk about sex with their parents, teachers or friends, while 50 percent remained silent about violations at school and in society.

Da Nang is the first city in Vietnam to carry out the pilot project, which hopes to create a positive environment in schools to stop gender violence through advocacy among students, teachers, student clubs and policy makers.

Statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training showed that in the 2011-12 school year, 384 students across 12 provinces were involved in cases of violence.-VNA