Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the conference (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA)– Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired a national online conference onAugust 6 on the protection of children against violence, abuse and risks totheir health and life.
The conference,connected with 675 districts and communes across the nation, drew about 18,000delegates.
A report by theMinistry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) showed that everyyear, about 2,000 cases of children falling victims to violence and abuse werereported and handled by functional agencies, with over 60 percent involving sexualabuse.
However, the figure isonly the tip of the iceberg, as only cases serious enough to be subject tocriminal investigation were reported.
In the first fivemonths of 2018, 682 violations against children were reported. Particularly, asmany as 21.3 percent of sexually abused children were victims of their familymembers, 59.9 percent were attacked by neighbours and relatives, and only 12.6percent by strangers.
Deputy PM Vu Duc Damheld that the figure reported by the MOLISA does not reflect the reality. Hesaid the unreported cases are much higher, as many harassing behaviours arestill thought to be “normal” in society.
Participants at theconference gave their evaluation on violence and abuse against children,analysed the reason behind the problem and recommended solutions to it. Manypointed to the need for closer coordination among ministries, sectors, socialorganisations and local community, as well as the formation of preventive andsettlement mechanisms for violation cases.
Addressing the event,PM Phuc said that violence, especially sexual abuse against children isunacceptable and intolerable both legally and morally.
He also mentionedother threats to children’s health and life, such as drowning and trafficaccidents, which claim the life of thousands of children each year.
The Government leaderstressed that it is a strategic and major task for the sustainable developmentof the country and the responsibility of the whole political system, localitiesand each family to care for and protect children as well as creating a healthy andfavourable living environment for them.
He agreed withorientations and solutions stated in the MOLISA’s report to fight child abuse.
In order to mobiliseresources of the whole political system for the enforcement of children’srights, especially the rights to protection and safety, Party organisations, thegovernment, specialised agencies and social organisations, especially at locallevel, should be fully and thoroughly aware of the significance of childprotection, he stated.
He stressed thevitality of strict and full implementation of laws and policies related to theprotection of children from violence and abuse, thus make sure children aresafe.
“The training andproviding of legal knowledge to the entire society on the caring, protectionand support to children is crucial,” said the PM.
He asked the heads of People’sCommittees at communes to appoint officials in charge of children protection,as so far, only 590 out of the total 11,162 communes, or about 5 percent, have appointedsuch a position.
The PM also requiredthat research be conducted on the organisation and operation of a specialisedteam for children protection to be led by the Chair of the communal People’sCommittee, while localities must pay more attention to enhancing the lawenforcement capacity and skills for officials charged with children protection workand allocate sufficient resource for the work.
The Ministry ofEducation and Training was asked to design programmes to train children inprotecting themselves, while National Assembly agencies, deputies and People’sCouncils should tighten supervision of the enforcement of law and policiesrelated to children protection as well as the allocation of resources for thework.
He also called on thewhole society, from all-level administrations, socio-political organisations,mass organisations to communities and families to engage in preventing andfighting violence and abuse targeting children, and in creating a safeenvironment for children.
On the occasion, thePM also requested the MOLISA to coordinate with other relevant agencies topromptly submit a proposal on mobilizing social resources for the caring ofchildren from ethnic minority groups and mountainous regions.
The PM asked theVietnam Fatherland Front’s Central Committee to launch a campaign to support thisgroup of children on the occasion of the Day for the Poor of Vietnam on October17, 2018.-VNA
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