ASEAN guidance on empowering women, children launched

Quang Ninh (VNA) – The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), in collaboration with United Nations offices in Vietnam, on March 28 held a public launch of the ASEAN Regional Guidance on empowering women and children: Delivering quality social work services for those at risk of or affected by violence and development of an action plan for rollout in Vietnam.

MoLISA Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Ha said that the guidance aims to help ASEAN member states effectively carry out the roadmap to implement the Hanoi Declaration on Strengthening Social Work Towards Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community, and consolidate the social work system, thus contributing to addressing and preventing violence against women and children.

It also serves as a reference base for developing laws, policies and tools to provide quality social work services, added Ha.

UNFPA Representative in Vietnam Matt Jackson shared the UN Population Fund’s commitment to supporting Vietnam in addressing gender-based violence, including replicating the One-Stop Service Centre, also known as Anh Duong (Sunshine) House, in other provinces and cities. This model has provided very effective services that meet international standards including health care, counselling, social welfare services, emergency shelters, and legal and judicial services.

With the replication of the Anh Duong House model, the UNFPA aims to reach more and more women and girls who are at risk and/or affected by gender-based violence and domestic violence, he stressed.

Representative of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam  Rana Flowers said that the UNICEF is honoured to cooperate with ASEAN in the process of developing the Hanoi Declaration, adopted by member countries in 2020 when Vietnam assumed the role as the Chair of ASEAN, and ASEAN's 10-year implementation roadmap. The organisation is committed to supporting the implementation of these strategic frameworks and expects all member countries to carry out the guidance.

The event was organised within the framework of the joint project on elimination of violence against women and children in Vietnam for the 2021-2025 period, with financial support from the Australian Government./.