The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on December 10 jointly launched a domestic violence prevention and control network.

The network is a national coordination mechanism for domestic violence prevention and control, and is run by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with the financial and technical support by UNFPA Vietnam.

Speaking at the launching workshop, UNFPA Vietnam Chief Representative Arthur Erken said Vietnam is one of the first countries in the region to build policies and laws that aim to enhance gender equality and stop domestic violence.

The country has joined the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination against Women and other conventions regarding human rights.

In addition, a large number of programmes to prevent domestic violence have been executed by Government agencies as well as domestic and foreign organisations across Vietnam .

At the event, participants also reviewed a campaign in response to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25).

Scores of events ranging from exhibitions, parades, policy dialogues, forums to competitions during the campaign drew the participation of some 10,000 people.-VNA