UNFPA ends partnership with Vietnamese singer involved in sexual harassment
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Vietnam said on May 14 it had dissolved its partnership of Pham Anh Khoa as its ambassador on the prevention of violence against women and girls in the country, in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment against the Rock singer.
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In April, dancer Pham Lich posted a long status on her Facebook account accusing Pham Anh Khoa of soliciting sex during his training time for her in a TV game show. Some days later, another dancer, Nga My, also said that Khoa had called and sent messages to her multiple times asking to come to a hotel or his home at night.
Most recently, on May 11, an anonymous stylist also shared her story with Zing Newspaper which said that she luckily escaped from a rape from Pham Anh Khoa four years ago during their trip to a music show.
Pham Anh Khoa first threatened to sue Pham Lich right after she brought the story to light but then made a public apology after the third woman voiced his problems.
According to UNFPA, violence against women and girls is a global scourge. It is one of the gravest violations of human rights and a formidable obstacle in ending gender inequality.
Globally, on average, one in every three women experiences some form of violence in her lifetime, be it physical, sexual or emotional, often at the hands of a spouse or intimate partner or a person in her immediate circle.
In Vietnam, the National Survey on Domestic Violence against Women, supported by the UN in 2010, showed that 58 percent of ever-married women said that they had experienced at least one form of violence from someone close, at some point in their lives. Since then, a lot of work has been done and investments made by public and non-governmental actors to raise awareness, and make legal, policy and behavioral changes to end all forms of gender-based violence. Progress has been made, but violence against women still remains a reality at all levels of society.
Ending violence against women should be a priority for everyone. It is indeed a stated priority with clear targets as well under the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals that seek ultimately to leave no one behind, UNFPA said in its press release.
