Hanoi’s child elected to "Children Parliament"
The mock sessions are expected to make children's voices heard in policymaking.
Nguyen Quang Anh from Hanoi was elected Deputy Chairman of the mock “Child’s National Assembly” held in Hanoi on September 28-29, the second of its kind held in Vietnam.
| The presidential delegation at the mock "Children's National Assembly" opens in Hanoi on September 28-29. Photos: Plan International Vietnam |
He was voted by 306 child delegates together with delegates from Dong Nai, Can Tho, Son La, Danang, and Quang Binh elected as president, vice president, and general secretary of the Children’s National Assembly.
On the morning of September 27, the second mock "Children’s National Assembly" was held at the Dien Hong Hall in the National Assembly building in Hanoi, attended by 306 child delegates from 63 provinces across the country.
These delegates were selected as exemplary members of local youth teams. The event was organized by the Central Youth Union and the Central Youth Council in collaboration with the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Education, the Office of the National Assembly, and related units.
The opening session was attended by Bui Van Cuong, Secretary-General of the National Assembly and Chief of the Office of the National Assembly; Bui Quang Huy, First Secretary of the Central Youth Union, and several other officials from the National Assembly and the Central Youth Union.
| Delegates at the mock "Children's National Assembly". |
In the afternoon, delegates participated in group discussions on two main topics: “Preventing School Violence” and “Preventing the Harmful Effects of Tobacco and Stimulants, Especially in Schools.”
There were 12 discussion groups, each supported by technical and professional experts from Plan International Vietnam, which partnered with the Central Youth Council to organize the mock session.
Notably, in Discussion Group 7, the delegates emphasized that school violence today goes beyond physical violence and has evolved into more subtle yet severe forms, such as emotional abuse, isolation, and bullying. Regarding solutions, participants suggested a close collaboration between schools, families, and communities to provide timely support for students.
Meanwhile, in Discussion Group 9 on preventing the harmful effects of tobacco, many delegates argued that current regulations on the sale of e-cigarettes are not strict enough, and penalties are insufficient as a deterrent. They proposed creative solutions, such as using citizen ID scans to verify buyers’ ages for online purchases.
Tran Quoc Huy, a delegate from Kon Tum, suggested that the Ministry of Health collaborate with the Ministry of Public Security to require all establishments selling stimulants, tobacco, and alcohol to install cameras, ensuring strict enforcement of laws prohibiting sales to minors under 18.
| Nguyen Thuy Tien, delegate from Quang Tri, at the post of Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism at a Q&A session. |
On the second working day, September 29, at the Dien Hong Hall, the session saw the attendance of Tran Thanh Man, Member of the Politburo and Chairman of the National Assembly; Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, former Chairwoman of the National Assembly; Nguyen Thi Thanh, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly; Le Thanh Long, Deputy Prime Minister; and many other high-ranking officials.
The second “Children’s National Assembly” mock session in 2024 received support from Plan International Vietnam and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group.
During the session, delegates were informed about resolving issues raised at the first “Children’s National Assembly” mock session held in 2023. Following the 2023 session, 8 out of 22 groups of children’s concerns were addressed, including the expansion of Children’s Councils and the implementation of the “Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union’s initiative to promote children’s engagement in children issues.” In the first nine months of 2024, two provincial-level, 15 district-level, and 22 commune-level Children’s Councils were established.
| Delegate from ethnic minorities at the session. |
During the Q&A session, the child delegates voiced their opinions and concerns from their local peers on the two issues of “Preventing School Violence” and “Preventing the Harmful Effects of Tobacco and Stimulants, Especially in Schools,” clarifying key issues that young people across the country are focused on.
Following the Q&A on the topic of “Preventing School Violence,” Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son emphasized the role of children. “If you study well, live with ambition and ideals, and know how to care for and love others, then you certainly won’t engage in violent behavior. If you have the skills to solve your own problems and help your friends with theirs, violence won’t have a place in schools.”
He stressed the importance of filtering information, using social media responsibly, and expressing their opinions correctly to prevent harmful online behaviors. “Personal cultivation, sharing love, and having the right skills and attitude are all critical,” he stressed.
Regarding the topic of “Preventing the Harmful Effects of Tobacco and Stimulants, Especially in Schools,” Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan highly appreciated the research, understanding, and awareness of the child delegates on this issue through the Q&A session.
“You have not only learned about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and other stimulants but also proposed many solutions, hoping that ministries and sectors will focus on implementation,” Lan stated.
| Country Director of Plan International Vietnam Migena Shulla at the session. |
She said as a state management agency, the ministry will take children’s input to refine policy mechanisms further and propose solutions to prevent the harm of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco for submission to the National Assembly in the near future.
“We hope that members of the National Assembly will continue to listen to and consider your suggestions when making decisions so that we can solve real-life problems and create a generation of young people who are healthy in body, mind, and intellect to build and protect the country.”
At the session, Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man delivered a speech of encouragement and presented gifts to the child delegates of the mock “Children’s National Assembly.”
| Delegates and officials at the Dien Hong Hall of the National Assembly building in Hanoi. |
