Ninh Thuan, August 22 (VNA) – A UNICEF-assisted research on the situation of children in southern Ninh Thuan province is hoped to be multiplied, helping set up a source of data aiding the supervision and monitoring of child rights implementation that Vietnam has committed to international community.
The results of the research, conducted in 2010 and 2011 as part of the framework of a national cooperation programme between UNICEF and the Vietnamese government for the period 2006-2011, was introduced to a conference in Ninh Thuan province on April 21.
The conference, seeing the attendance of Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep, and UNICEF deputy representative in Vietnam Jesper Moller, drew the attention of child experts from Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Binh Thuan, An Giang, Ninh Thuan provinces and Ho Chi Minh City.
In serving the research, experts collected and analysed information on the situation of children in the context of current socio-economic development and defined factors affecting the awareness of children’s rights and the implementation of the rights in reality. They also gave suggestions for the overall improvement of children in the province.
According to Vice Chairman of the Ninh Thuan People’s Committee Vo Dai, an overall picture on children in the locality, as well as in the southern central region, together with challenges children are facing have been broadly reflected in the document.
UNICEF official Jesper Moller said Ninh Thuan province has exerted a lot of effort in child development. The province’s expense for healthcare and education increased 114 percent from 2005 to 2009.
Deputy Minister Diep attributed that the research shows the province’s endeavours in children related works, however, pointed to some challenges, including a high malnutrition rate of under-five children and a low percentage of children attending school at all levels.
He expressed his hope that such research will be conducted more at provincial and national levels.-VNA
