Vietnam puts children’s rights at center of national strategy: official

He was speaking at a ceremony marking 50 years of cooperation between Vietnam and UNICEF, as well as the 35th anniversary of Vietnam’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on Wednesday.

Deputy PM Long stated that Vietnam has consistently invested resources and refined policies, strategies, and legal frameworks dedicated to the protection and care of children.

He spotlighted efforts to ensure that all children, particularly those from low-income families, children with disabilities, orphans, and other vulnerable groups, can grow and thrive in safe and nurturing environments.

Vietnam ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990, making it the first country in Asia and the second in the world to do so.

The country has introduced a number of breakthrough policies, including universal preschool education for children aged 3 to 5, and tuition exemptions or subsidies for preschoolers and general education students.

Child injury and accident deaths in Vietnam fell by 3-5 percent annually between 2022 and 2024.

Despite these gains, significant challenges remain, he said.

Development disparities between regions and between ethnic minority children and their peers in urban areas are still pronounced.

Many children, especially those who are poor, migrants, or affected by natural disasters, epidemics, and climate change, continue to face disadvantages.

Cases of child abuse and trafficking also persist.

The deputy prime minister reaffirmed that the government will press ahead with comprehensive and coordinated policies to ensure that all children grow up in a safe, equitable, and supportive environment.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Pham Duy Trang, secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and president of the Central Council of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organization, promised to work closely with partners to build safe, healthy, and loving environments for children.

“We hope to continue receiving strong collaboration in protecting children from violence and abuse, supporting mental health, ensuring online safety, and improving the capacity of those working with children at all levels,” Trang said.

UNICEF regional director for East Asia and the Pacific June Kunugi reiterated UNICEF’s commitment to accompanying Vietnam and helping the country become a model for children’s rights both regionally and globally.

UNICEF will focus on three key areas, including investing in holistic, child-centered human development, ensuring safety and protection for all children, and helping Vietnam address climate change, pollution, and environmental degradation.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan affirmed that her ministry will continue to strengthen cooperation with international organizations, including UNICEF, to support policymaking, knowledge transfer, and technical assistance related to child health and development.

She highlighted upcoming efforts to improve internationally aligned child services, mobilize global resources, and accelerate technology transfer.

“The Ministry of Health will continue to advance maternal and child healthcare, early childhood education and development, strengthen primary healthcare, and enhance the effectiveness of child protection networks and social services,” Minister Lan stressed.