A prostitute collects money to send home for her parent. (Photo: VNA) A three-year project on building policies and helping female victims of sexual abuse integrate into society has yielded encouraging outcomes, as heard during a conference held in Hanoi on October 26.
The initiative has established a pilot integration model for victims while enhancing personnel’s relevant knowledge, skills and management capacity.
Consultation and legal services, vocational training courses and job offers were provided to assist the women to improve livelihoods with higher incomes.
Seventy-two out of 82 women taking part in vocational training courses, such as make-up application, hairdressing, graphic design and hotel hospitality, have completed their instructions. Of them, 42 have followed the careers and are making up to 5 million VND (224 USD) per month.
Meanwhile, the project launched a support programme for 40 start-up models, which equipped participants with the necessary financial skills and basic equipment to start their own business.
Major drawbacks were also highlighted at the conference, including services separated from local welfare programmes and relevant support policies, hence the restricted resources and social impact. Some of the trainees had limited business experience, skills and learning capacity, leading to ineffective loan use, while training failed to cater to diverse learner demand and abilities.
Participants proposed completing and replicating the model nationwide through suitable policies as well as boosting the competency of project personnel and volunteers.
The project was launched in Hanoi in May 2013 by Plan International Vietnam, the Department of Social Evils Prevention under the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Hanoi’s social evils prevention department, together with three non-govermental organisations LIGHT, CSAGA and REACH.-VNA
