Vietnam has made enormous improvements in ensuring its children’s welfare, but there remains a big gap between children from rich and poor families as well as from different regions, according to the ministry. The 2010 Month for Children is oriented toward providing greater opportunities for all children, especially those from poor families, remote areas, or other disadvantaged circumstances.

The month will focus on preventing violence against or maltreatment of children, and implementing a community-based model for child protection, said Nguyen Hai Huu, head of the Department for Protecting and Caring for Children. It will also try to prevent adolescents from breaking the law and help them integrate into the community. In addition, the campaign will make an effort to eliminate bad working conditions for children, and curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and accidents among children.

The campaign has an estimated budget of VND3 billion.