The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of northern mountainous Yen Bai province, in collaboration with World Vision, organised a children’s forum themed “Listen to the Children’s Voices” on June 25.

Attending the forum were more than 200 local outstanding students, including those from the province’s social sponsoring centres and centres for children with disabilities.

Held every two years, the event aims to provide a forum for children to make their voices heard, meet with their peers and hone their presentation skills.

This year, children from disadvantaged backgrounds raised questions concerning their rights to birth registration, child abuse and building entertainment areas for children, which they hoped to discuss with local authorities.

The organisers expected the forum would raise public awareness of childcare and protection.

Some 23 impoverished children were presented with bicycles while 65 others with excellent academic performance were awarded gift packages worth 1 million VND (45.8 USD) each.

Since 1990, World Vision has implemented a number of relief and development programmes, partnering with the Vietnamese government, other non-governmental organisations and communities.

World Vision Vietnam works for the well-being and protection of children through programmes operated in 15 provinces and cities across the country.-VNA