Da Nang is on course to turn itself into a safe city without violence against women and children. All levels of the Da Nang Women's Union (WU) have implemented many highly practical activities to raise the sense of public responsibility, contributing to building a safe city free of violence against women and children.

A training session on professional skills is in progress for those involved in preventing women and children from violence. Photo: L.P

On the morning of the first Sunday of August, 2022, members of the club of ‘Safety for Your Home’ gathered at a so-called ‘Friendly Address’ on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. Here, dozens of students learned knowledge about how to prevente and combat violence case under which children are the victims in the current situation, improve self-protection skills, access helplines to timely protect children. The children also drew paintings themed “Let's join hands to protect children”.

Through their paintings, children wanted to send messages, namely children needing to be loved, saying  'no' to violence and child abuse, fighting against violence and abuse against children, thereby expressing desire to live and grow up in a safe, non-violent environment.

According to Chairman of the above-mentioned club Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, the club is not only a place of healthy living and entertainment for women and children but also a reliable place for people to share their feelings and find solutions when facing problems in life.

In early May, 2022, the Women's Union chapter of Hoa Thuan Tay Ward , Hai Chau District built a branch model ‘Say no to domestic violence’. Accordingly, each branch is a “safe destination’ to support women and children experiencing violence problems, in addition to organising cultural and artistic activities, physical training and sports and providing better care for women and children with a healthy, safe and friendly living environment. Along with that, this is also a place to receive information on acts of violence against women and children so as to then report them to competent agencies for timely  handling.

Chairman of Hai Chau District Women's Union Ho Thi Hue said that 'safe venues' aim to raise awareness and responsibility of the whole society in realising gender equality and preventing violence against women and children and building a healthy and safe living environment. In addition, the destinations will be the legal and spiritual fulcrum of victims of violence, targetting that 100% of the victims will be supported in a timely manner and the perpetrators of violence will be detected and handled.

The whole city currently has nearly 400 reliable address models operating in wards and communes. Thanks to the effective advice and support from the trusted address model, many women are protected from domestic violence. Many cases were successfully reconciled, contributing to ensuring local security and order.

As an organisation that plays a key role in the implementation of the project 'Building a safe Da Nang free of violence against women and children during the 2021 - 2025 period, with a vision towards 2035', the Da Nang Women's Union has attached importance to building capacity for union officials from the municipal level to grassroots on the protection of women and children.

The city’s Women's Union has just established a ‘network of counselors on prevention and response to violence against women and children’. A network of 48 members, who are officers from such agencies as the Da Nang Lawyers’ Association, the University of Education, the Da Nang General Hospital, the municipal Police Department, has made its debut. 

The network's mission is to organise training courses for staff, offer legal advice, psychological health counseling for women and children, participate in solving cases related to response to violence against women and children, promote communication activities and counsel on violence prevention towards building a safe city free of violence against women and children.

Reporting by LAM PHUONG - Translating by A.THU