The Action Month for Children 2011 themed, “A safe, friendly and healthy environment for every child” was launched at a ceremony held in the northern province of Hung Yen on June 1.

Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, former Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh, representatives from ministries and central sectors and the northern provinces attended the event.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ngan said the launch of the event aimed to enhance works in protecting and taking care of children nationwide.

She stressed that it is necessary for authorities, organisations, communities and families to build programmes and plans to implement State policies on children protection and care.

Ngan requested that authorities of provinces, cities and localities focus on childcare works such as taking measures to assist disadvantaged children, solve issues of child sexual abuse, misuse of child labour and trade in children and effectively implement targets of the national programme on child protection during the 2011-2015 period and the national action programme for children in the period of 2011-2020.

On the occasion, the National Fund for Vietnamese Children received more than 22 billion VND from 14 domestic and foreign agencies to help deploy programmes and projects for disabled and disadvantaged children in Vietnam./.