In 2022, Da Nang strives to ensure that 85% of children citywide aged under 9 years will access comprehensive care and development support services, with a concentration on raising awareness and responsibility of authorities at all levels, sectors, families, schools and social communities for children's work in order to provide a safe, healthy and friendly living environment for children.

The municipal People's Committee has set 6 goals to help children develop comprehensively such as healthcare, nutrition; protecting children against the risk of abuse, network safety, and illegal labour; creating more entertainment and cultural spaces; encouraging children to raise their voices about children-related issues; piloting a model of a child-friendly community, and improving the effectiveness of State management of children's affairs.

Children in Da Nang are encouraged to participate in all age-appropriate activities. Photo: T.Y

Towards a safe society

The Da Nang authorities have issued a plan to implement the Action Month for Children 2022.

Themed ‘Joining efforts in child protection and child abuse prevention and combat’, this year’s programme will last from June 1 - 30.

In the framework of the action month, the focus will be on enhancing the sense of responsibility among sectors and relevant organisations in child protection and to ensure a safe summer for kids.

How to protect children is still the city’s most concerned issues when the city sets a target of 100% of educational management agencies and institutions to organize communication activities to raise public awareness, capacity, professional ethics and responsibilities for preventing from school violence and sexual abuse.

Also, the city strives to reach its goal of 85% of students citywide to be guided and educated in knowledge, life and self-defense skills against acts of violence and sexual abuse, whilst 100% of educational institutions in the city ensure that there will not be any school violence case.

As an organisation representing the city's youth, the Da Nang Youth Union has over recent years opened more training courses on child abuse prevention skills.

For example, the content of the document on prevention and control of abuse disseminated by the Da Nang Youth Union clearly states: forms of child abuse occur in many aspects, such as children not being able to meet the essential needs of life (do not make birth certificates, health insurance cards, do not have enough food, clothing, housing and medical care when sick); acts of physical abuse of children (intentionally causing injuries to parts of the body). In particular, sexual abuse can occur under many different actions, such as sexually stimulating oneself in front of a child, intentionally exposing a child's private parts, kissing or touching a child's private parts or forcing children to do the same.

Party Secretary Nguyen Manh Dung said that the above-mentioned publicity contents are quite sensitive but necessary for children, because they know what abuse is for sake of prevention and combating.

In addition, parents also need to know some personal safety principles to help children stay away from abusive behavior, such as not accepting gifts from strangers, not letting anyone touch them, not walking alone at night, and inform family members when faced with dangerous situations.

Also, families and schools need to teach children when to say “No”. Children are the masters of their bodies, no one is allowed to touch or touch them rudely…

During a talk entitled ‘Safety for women and children’ held on April 18, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Nhon, Chairwoman of the municipal Women's Union of Hoa Hiep Nam Ward, Lien Chieu District, underlined a need for parents to create a safe living environment for their children, take time to listen, share and need to know where their children are, what they are doing, and whom they are playing with.

According to Mrs. Nhon, in the past time, there have been no cases of child abuse in the city, but the family still needs to actively take measures to help children avoid it.

Effectively implementing the Law on Children

One of the city’s important goals about children's work in 2022 is to effectively implement the Law on Children in a bid to promote the material and spiritual development of children, especially those living under special circumstances, in a comprehensive manner.

Specifically, Da Nang strives to ensure that 85% of children aged under 8 years will access comprehensive development and care support services.

Also, the city’s rate of malnourished children under five in term of weight is less than 4%, the rate of malnourished children under five in term of height at 13%, and the rate of overweight and obese children under five at under 12%.

The city set a goal of reducing infant mortality rate to below5.5‰, and   

Striving to reduce the mortality rates in infants to below 5.5‰, in children under one year old below 7.2‰, and in children under 5 years old below 11.1‰.

The rate of children under 1 year of age fully vaccinated with 8 vaccines will be more than 95% and 100% of HIV-affected children will be provided with healthcare, education, nutritional consulation and support, physical development, respite care and recreation services, plus social policies.

Meanwhile, the rate of child abuse will deacrease by 3% as compared to 2021, especially sexual abuse, and about 30% of children from 7 years old are consulted on child issues in an appropriate form.

Founded in 2020, the Da Nang Children's Advisory and Support Club under the municipal Youth Union has till date provided consultancy services for dozens of young people who got involved in some legal issues.

The club consists of 16 members who are representatives of the municipal and district-level Team Councils, the Department of Education and Training, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and others.

They are responsible for consulting activities of the Youth Union and Team Councils in protecting children's legitimate rights and interests, proposing support models and solutions for children, and speaking out to protect children against abuse.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Dung remarked the club was acting as a channel to connect and help local children deeply participate in activities related to the Children's Law and understand more about children-related documents.

In addition, the local Women's Union has cooperated with the municipal Youth Union, and the Association of Charities and the Children's Rights Protection to create forums for children to meet and dialogue with city leaders, and propose ideas and aspirations related to children's rights.

Mrs. Hoang Thi Thu Huong, Chairwoman of the municipal Women's Union, said that her union and chapters at all levels regularly give a monthly allowance of VND500,000 to children in extremely difficult circumstances.

Especially, from the beginning of the year until now, the city's women have been sponsoring and connecting strongly with sponsors for 210 orphans in extremely difficult circumstances during the 2022-2026 period with an amount of nearly VND6.5 billion.

Reporting by TIEU YEN - Translating by M.DUNG