On the afternoon of March 19th 2021, the Review Conference of 12 National Action Programs, Schemes, and Plans for Children period 2012 – 2020 took place at the Hall of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. Participants of the conference included Mr. Vo Van Hoan – Vice Chairman of Municipal People’s Committee – Head of Municipal Committee for Child Protection and Care, along with leaders of relevant departments, divisions, and District People’s Committees.
The city has recorded important achievements in child protection and care, i.e. many models, initiatives and experiences have been deployed and replicated; Awareness of the people and authorities is increasing day by day; children, especially disadvantaged children, are receiving more attention. Delegates also assessed and pointed out weaknesses and shortcomings that still exist in child protection and care, from mechanisms and policies, to the implementation. In reality, cases of children suffering from violence, physical abuse, injuries, children wandering around to make a living… still happens on a daily basis.
To solve the above challenges, we have proposed a number of possible solutions for child care and protection in the coming time, namely:
1.To promptly research and advise the Standing Committee of HCMC People’s Committee on the issuance of an Action Program for Children and Prevention of Child Abuse in the period 2021 – 2025, with a vision to 2030.
2. Municipal agencies, departments and divisions must continue to pay adequate attention and timely encouragement to the staffs working in child protection and care, especially at communes level.
3. To research the proposal of making child protection and care activities one of the important criteria in building cultural families and cultural neighborhoods.
4. To consolidate and develop the system of Child Protection Committees at all levels, especially at communes level. Develop an interdisciplinary child protection program and interdisciplinarily monitor, evaluate. At the commune, ward and town level, it is necessary to arrange child protection workers with specific regulations on functions, tasks and working procedures.
5. Call for attention, companionship and support from the community and the whole society (including non-governmental organizations, international organizations) in order to join hands with the municipal governments in implementation of programs, projects, proposals regarding technical assistance and/or direct resources needed to implement child protection solutions based on actual needs of beneficiary groups in the period of 2021 – 2025, with a vision to 2030 in HCMC.
At the 10-year Review Conference, Ho Chi Minh City Child Welfare Association was honored to be 1 of 39 organizations with outstanding achievements to receive the Certificate of Merit from the HCMC People’s Committee for successfully implementing 12 national action programs, schemes and plans for children, in the 2012 – 2020 period.
