Poor children will be a major theme of the 2007 Action Month for Children, which is due to be launched from May 15 to June 30.

Speaking at a press briefing in Hanoi on May 10, Vice Chairwoman of the Committee for Population, Family and Children Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh said during the month, various activities will take place, such as taking care of poor children in the coastal areas of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Ben Tre, Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces and presenting gifts to children.

In recent years, children have received more attention from the community and more State budget has been allocated in education programmes for children.

To help underprivileged children, the Government has issues many concrete policies aimed at educating and providing healthcare services for children, and have intensified measures to prevent them from hard labour, sex abuse and drug addiction.

Vietnam is one of the world’s first countries to have signed and ratified the International Convention on the Right of the Child. The country has actively cooperated with the international community to improve welfare for children despite its low income per capita. Vietnam’s efforts in protecting children have been recognized and praised by the United Nations, including the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Also at the press conference, the Committee for Population, Family and Children announced “For a family without violence” as the theme of Vietnam Family Day 2007.