Roundtable seeks ways to prevent violence against women, children in Vietnam
Experts gathered at a roundtable in Hanoi on December 6 to discuss violence against women and children in Vietnam and seek ways to create a safer environment for this vulnerable group.
The event was held by UN agencies with support from the Vietnamese and Australian Governments, aligning with the National Month on Gender Equality and Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response and 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.
Participants highlighted Vietnam’s multi-sectoral approach to tackling violence, laying stress on evidence-based policies and survivor-centered services. The discussions also underscored the critical role of dismantling harmful social norms, improving data systems for transformative change, and reaffirming Australia and the UN agencies’ commitments to supporting Vietnam’s efforts.
Highlighting the critical nature of addressing violence as both global and national emergency, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis said that approximately 650 million women and girls and 530 million men and boys across the globe have experienced childhood violence, with two out of three children facing violent discipline at home. In Vietnam, over 90% of violence victims never speak out.
She suggested key action areas to settle the issue, including integrating services across multiple sectors, building community confidence, strengthening data systems, supporting the youth’s needs, engaging men and boys in changing harmful social norms, and improving labour force capacity.
Sharing Australia’s experience in gender-based violence prevention, Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin held that collaboration between policymakers, experts, and international partners is significant to eliminate violence. She stated that that survivor-centered and coordinated services are key to making substantial changes.
International organisations like the UN Population Fund, UN Women, and UNICEF spotlighted their priorities and progress in ending violence against women and children.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese government representatives reaffirmed their commitments to strategies for building multi-sectoral and integrated activities to manage and prevent violence against the vulnerable group.
