Youngsters get involved in a campaign to prevent violence against women (Source: UN Women in Vietnam) Hanoi (VNA) – Experts gathered at a policy forum in Hanoi on November 25 to share information on sexual violence against women and girls and seek solutions to this problem.
The forum was jointly held by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam in response to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25) and the National Communication Campaign “Eliminating Sexual Violence against Women and Girls”.
According to participants, about 35 percent women and girls on the planet have experienced at least one form of physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
Violence against women and girls still exists as one of the worst violations of human rights in the world, becoming an obstacle to efforts to boost development, peacekeeping and equality in society.
Vietnam, in its development and international integration, has always paid attention to implementing measures to ensure social welfares and promote sustainable development.
Ensuring human rights, including those of women, and gender equality has been asserted in the country’s constitution and legal system. There is no gender gap in access to education at all school levels. Women account for 48.8 percent of labour force, 24 percent of National Assembly deputies and 25 percent of business owners.
A survey by the Master Card International Financial Group showed that Vietnam reached 66 out of 100 points in the women advancement index, ranking fifth among the 16 surveyed countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The index is based on three criteria, including occupation, education and leadership capacity.
Delegates also proposed high-quality support services such as health care, psychological support and legal assistance, ensuring all victims can access these services.
It is necessary to raise public awareness of gender violence, especially sexual violence, they said.
Ministries and sectors should build national statistic data on sexual violence against women and girls in all environments while continuing to amend and enforce laws on it, they added.-VNA
