The National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children hosted a conference on February 15 to review the implementation of the national policy on child protection for the period 2008-2010 and offer appropriate suggestions.
Ngo Thi Minh, deputy director of the Committee, briefly reported the implementation of the national policy on child protection, saying that the situation regarding child abuse had only worsened, not only in public places, but also in homes, schools, and child-care centres.
Moreover, the category of child-abusers has widened from strangers to relatives, teachers, classmates, and from citizens to foreigners.
The usual abuse cases were sexual, life-threatening assaults, child kidnapping and trafficking.
During the period 2008-2010, approximately 3,422 cases of child abuse were put on trial and 931 cases involving 1,396 people received fines.
The committee concluded that a weak child care protection force, along with infrequent inspections of government and related agencies, had worsened the situation.
In addition, local authorities have neglected to invest in playgrounds and projects to provide better facilities for kindergartens.
Board members of the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children recommended that both the government and related agencies must urgently examine and stream line policies concerning child abuse and child care and come up with effective measures.
A clause for ‘Child Protection’ should be included in the Development Strategy of the committee.
It was also suggested that the government does its utmost to carry out the National Action Programme on Children for the period 2012-2020 and the National Programme on Child Protection for the period 2011-2015.
Lastly, authorities should assign special officers for the task of child care and protection at every administrative level.
National Assembly Committee Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung, Minister Pham Thi Hai from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, representatives from the Ministries of Education and Training, Culture, and other relevant agencies took part in the conference and answered questions relating to their responsibilities on child protection and care.
This is the first time a government explanation report had been read at a congressional meeting.
