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Aug 07, 2018 / 08:14

Vietnamese children must be protected from violence, abuse: PM

In Vietnam, about 2,000 child abuse case are detected every year, of which sexual abuse accounts for more than 60%.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has stated that violence, especially sexual abuse, against children is unacceptable and intolerable both legally and morally.
He made the statement while presiding over a national conference on August 6 on measures to protect children against violence, abuse and risks to their health and life.
 
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addressed the conference
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc addressed the conference
The televised conference connected with 675 districts and communes across the country and drew participation of about 18,000 delegates.

The conference assessed the real situation of child abuse, analyzed exactly what causes this condition and provided effective solutions to prevent and stop child abuse.

PM Phuc mentioned other threats to children’s health and life, such as drowning and traffic accidents, which claim the life of thousands of children each year. 

The government leader stressed that the vitality of strict and full implementation of laws and policies related to the protection of children from violence and abuse in order to make sure children are safe.
 
Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam made speech at the event
Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam made speech at the event
He asked the heads of People’s Committees at communal level to appoint officials in charge of children protection, as so far, only 590 out of the total 11,162 communes, or about 5%, have appointed such a position.

The PM also called on the whole society, from all-level administrations, socio-political organizations, mass organizations to communities and families to engage in preventing and fighting violence and abuse targeting children, and in creating a safe environment for children.

According to the PM, many child protection practices are being implemented very effectively and practically, such as the implementation of the national telephone number 111, which operates free of charge in 24/7.
 
Speaking at the conference, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam said that many children have not received the attention care, education, protection; they even suffer from both physical and mental abuse. In fact, the number of child abuse cases in Vietnam has not stopped at around 2,000 cases, as reported by MOLISA.

A report by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) showed that every year, about 2,000 cases of children falling victims to violence and abuse were reported and handled by functional agencies, with over 60% involving sexual abuse.

According to statistics, in the first five months of 2018, 682 cases of child abuse were found nationwide. Notably, 21.3% of sexually abused children were victims of their family members, 59.9% were attacked by neighbors and relatives, and only 12.6% by strangers.

According to Tran Ngoc Ha, director of the Criminal Police Department (C45), there have been 720 cases of child abuse in the first six months of the year, including 573 child sexual abuse cases, accounting for 79%.