The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) on June 17 announced the 2013 rankings on the observation of children’s rights across Vietnam’s 63 cities and provinces.

The results show no big difference among localities, with the top ten listed as Long An, Ho Chi Minh City, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Da Nang, Quang Ninh, Hung Yen, Hanoi, Hai Phong and Nam Dinh.

The ranking, the first of its kind, is based on five intermediary indicators representing five important areas related to children. These include the level of interest in child protection, caring and education, and the ensuring of children’s comprehensive development.

It aims to provide ministries, sectors and domestic and foreign organisations with scientific, accurate and specific indices in the field.

According to MOLISA Deputy Minister Doan Mau Diep, the ranking is an interdisciplinary piece of research on a national scale, giving high quality results.

However, the main limitation of the ranking system is the relative lack of input indicators, which may not reflect the thorough situation in the observation of children’s rights, he said. In addition, it is based mostly on reports and indicators rather than a thorough social audit, he added.

He said from 2014 on, the ministry will build the ranking in a more complete manner with more accurate and standardised information And with the increased engagement of international organisations that are interested in children development in Vietnam.-VNA