Vietnam highly valued UNICEF’s help in social and cultural development in the country, National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said.

Vice Chairwoman Ngan made the appraisal while receiving UNICEF Chief Representative in Vietnam Lotta Sylwander in Hanoi on Jan. 12.

Ngan thanked UNICEF for its cooperation in implementing policies on protection and care for Vietnamese children, stressing that the cooperation effectively met Vietnam ’s demand for socio-economic development in each period.

Ngan asked the two sides to expand cooperation in the future to contribute more to Vietnam ’s development and raise the role of the UN organisation.

The legislator expressed her wish that UNICEF will assist Vietnam to build laws and examine the protection and implementation of child rights.

Lotta Sylwander recognised Vietnam ’s efforts in protection and care of children in Vietnam over the past years and said that in the circumstance of decreased capital for development in the world, UNICEF and other UN organisations will focus on policy consultancy and raising capacity for Vietnamese partners, including Party, parliamentary and governmental agencies and mass organisations.

She stressed that UNICEF will actively contribute to reducing the child poverty rate and increase access to essential social services like healthcare, safe water and education, especially in rural areas and areas of ethnic minority people.

She also said that UNICEF will help Vietnam to complete a system to research and examine activities to protect and care for children./.