Vietnam’s progress in child protection is remarkable: UN official

THE HANOI TIMES — Vietnam’s progress in upholding the rights of the child over the past decades has been “remarkable”, especially given the challenges the country once faced.

Prof. Dr. Sophie Kiladze, Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, spoke on the occasion of the 50 years of Vietnam-UNICEF cooperation and 35 years since Vietnam ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, celebrated in Hanoi on November 26.

“There have been so many positive changes for children in Vietnam. I see strong government commitment to reducing child poverty and child mortality, improving access to education, addressing child labor and child marriage, advancing juvenile justice reform and supporting vulnerable communities,” Kiladze shared with The Hanoi Times.

The celebration gathered Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific June Kunugi, Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child Sophie Kiladze, representatives of UN agencies in Vietnam, those of ministries and international organizations and more than 200 delegates.

UNICEF has been present in Vietnam since 1975 as one of the first UN agencies supporting emergency humanitarian programs that addressed post-war challenges and improved nutrition, health care, clean water and education for children.

Vietnam became the first country in Asia and the second worldwide to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1990, reaffirming its commitment to protecting and promoting child rights.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long said the CRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history, with 196 State Parties.

He affirmed that children remain central to development policies and that the State prioritizes improving legislation, strengthening social welfare and ensuring a safe and equal environment for all children, especially vulnerable groups.

He praised UNICEF for its long-standing support from the time Vietnam faced severe hardship to its current period of strong development.

He highlighted UNICEF's contributions in policymaking, healthcare, education, nutrition, expanded immunization, disaster response, epidemic control, and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said child protection remains a strategic priority in the new development phase and called for deeper and more effective cooperation with UNICEF and international partners.

Children at the center

UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, recognized Vietnam’s significant progress in placing children and adolescents at the center of policy over the past 35 years, highlighting strong gains in child-related indicators under the Sustainable Development Goals.

She noted that Vietnam’s continued investment in children through health care, education, social welfare and child protection systems forms a vital foundation for sustainable development.

Kunugi encouraged Vietnam to share its effective models with other countries through South–South cooperation, particularly in areas such as safe digital transformation and evidence-based child services.

She identified three priorities for future cooperation, including increased investment in children and human capital, strengthened safety and empowerment within communities and more resilient family and community systems capable of withstanding natural disasters and social shocks.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said the health sector aims to ensure that every child receives adequate care and can reach full development.

She said the ministry will continue working with UNICEF and partners to turn commitments into concrete and sustainable actions, especially in maternal and child health and nutrition.

At the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long presented the Vietnamese Prime Minister’s Certificate of Merit to UNICEF in recognition of its outstanding and consistent contributions throughout five decades of cooperation.

Over 35 years of CRC implementation, Vietnam has strengthened its legal framework, notably through the 2016 Law on Children, which recognizes children as rights holders and expands their participation through the Children’s Forum and Children’s Councils.

Key indicators have improved with under-five mortality falling from 58‰ in 1990 to 16.9‰ in 2024, full immunization coverage for children under one exceeding 90% and the rate of underweight children dropping from 38.7% to 10.4%.

UNICEF said its partnership with Vietnam has evolved from post-war emergency aid into a long-term cooperation driven by innovation and scientific evidence.

The ceremony allowed both sides to reflect on their shared journey and reaffirm commitments to building an equitable, inclusive and sustainable development environment for all children.

For Kiladze, she highlighted Vietnam’s constructive dialogue with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva in 2022, saying it played an important role in shaping the country’s recent progress.

“That exchange allowed us to develop recommendations tailored specifically to Vietnam, to help strengthen child rights protection and promotion. We already see the government taking strong steps to implement the Committee’s recommendations.”

When asked by The Hanoi Times what she expects from Vietnam going forward, Kiladze was candid about the scale of the challenge. “The Convention on the Rights of the Child is extremely difficult for any country to fulfil completely. There is not a single state among the 196 parties that has implemented it 100%. So there is still room for improvement, for both the government and the parliament.”

She said what impressed her most was the Vietnamese government’s openness. “One thing I truly appreciate, after listening to the deputy prime minister, the minister and many other officials, is that they are very honest about the gaps. They know exactly where the challenges are, and they are actively working to address them.”

“This is what we expect from governments that champion child rights,” Kiladze stated.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long said the Vietnam–UNICEF partnership will continue to deepen and contribute to a prosperous and humane Vietnam where every child is safe, healthy, happy and able to realize their full potential.

The organization pledged continued collaboration in the next years to ensure every child grows up healthy, safe and able to access quality education.

Addressing the event, June Kunugi stated with a strong message of partnership: “Together we can turn ambition into action and make Vietnam a model for child rights in the region and across the world.”