The signing of a joint programme aimed at protecting children held in the presence of young people and children in Hanoi on June 20. (Credit: NDO)

jointly implemented by Vietnam Women's Union, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children's Rights, the programme targets to implement detailed coordination plans over the next five years, focusing on propagating, supervising and consulting State agencies on formulating and implementing laws, policies and allocating resources to ensure children's rights.

In addition, it also targets to organise capacity building activities for staff at the Youth Union, the Women's Union, and the Association for the Protection of Children's Rights at all levels, as well as their members to promote the implementation of children's rights.

It seeks to implement the task of representing children's voices and aspirations, develop appropriate models for children and parents/carers in the community and facilitate mechanisms to protect children from violence and abuse, especially sexual abuse.

Related parties will also coordinate in mobilising resources to support activities held to promote the rights of children and to support children in particularly difficult circumstances, while organising activities in response to the Action Month for Children, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lunar New Year celebration for children.

Annually, the above three bodies will gather to review results of the coordinated programme’s implementation during the year and to form plans for the coming year.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women's Union Nguyen Thi Thu Ha expressed her concerns that, children now face many problems such as sexual abuse, violence, and injury, even being lured into carrying out criminal activities by adults, which means that many of their rights are not being guaranteed.

The chairwoman said that through the functions, duties and strengths of each organisation, the education, protection and care for children will generate practical and effective results in the coming time with their close cooperation.

First secretary of the Youth Union Central Committee Le Quoc Phong said that in recent years, the Unions at all levels have organised activities to care for children. They have mobilised social resources to focus on disadvantaged children and those in remote and isolated areas to create the best conditions for them to have a favourable environment for learning, playing and training.

Also at the ceremony, the organisers presented gifts to 15 children living in special circumstances.