Deputy PM applauds UNICEF contributions to Vietnamese child caring activities

At a reception held on March 9 in Hanoi for the UNICIEF official, Deputy PM Ha stated that the Vietnamese Party and State always pays close attention and gives priority to the protection, care, and education of children. Noting that they are the future owners of the country while emphasizing the roles and responsibilities of families, society, schools, ministries, and sectors in taking care of children.

He explained that Vietnam has three national target programmes and has a comprehensive focus on education; health care; social issues; and care for the vulnerable, including children and women.

Affirming the country’s special attention to investing in youth education, the Deputy PM stated that along with the education system, policies relating to investments in schools according to standards have been carried out throughout the country, especially in mountainous and disadvantaged areas, with the ultimate goal of universalising education for all people.

Most notably, the most important factor is to ensure the general implementation of conditions and criteria aimed at evaluating the progress made in the care, protection, and assurance of children's rights. This involves nutritional regimens, height standards, and monitoring infant mortality rates, particularly in mountainous and remote areas.

“UNICEF can support Vietnam in developing a set of child assessment indicators in harmony with international standards,” suggested Deputy PM Ha.

Referring to the lack of physical facilities used for physical and art education in schools, especially in major cities, the Deputy PM stated that Vietnam is adding targets on land and investment capital in order to meet the goal of comprehensive development for students.

Regarding cross-border water resource management, Deputy PM Ha said that in the future, conflicts related to transboundary water sources will become more and more intense, thereby affecting the ability to access clean, suitable water sources, as well as responding to the threat of climate change to people globally, including the implementation of targets related to the child development.

Currently, 60% of the nation’s surface water resources come from transboundary water sources, meaning this is an urgent issue that must be solved from an international perspective, as well as between various localities.

"The most important thing is to have common awareness, and solidarity, based on international law and regulations, and intergovernmental cooperation on cross-border river management," stressed the Deputy PM.

He said that he hopes UNICEF will support the country in amending and supplementing the Law on Water Resources, thereby demonstrating its vision and ways of managing transboundary water resources and simultaneously ensuring the harmony of interests between countries, localities, and people.

In response, Flowers emphasized that the two priorities of UNICEF's activities in Vietnam are child protection, violence prevention, and child nutrition.

These are issues that are closely linked with each other and are highly appreciated by UNICEF in its ongoing work and activities with various Vietnamese ministries and sectors.

Focusing on investment and development for children is an important foundation for the country’s economic development, she went on to say.

Appreciating Vietnamese efforts and achievements in caring for and ensuring children's rights, the UNICEF Representative in Vietnam affirmed the spirit of close co-operation with Vietnam in this regard moving forward.

Proposing that the country implements a mechanism to regularly exchange and discuss transboundary water sources, Flowers said that UNICEF works in many areas, locally it co-operates alongside NGOs to gain access to necessary social care policies specifically for families and children in disadvantaged areas.