It is an open secret that the Church recognizes only one form of close relationship between a man and a woman - legal marriage. A growing number of people believes nowadays that tying the knot is not a necessity at all, because two people can love each other and live together without paper formalities. Will marriage become a prerogative of religious couples only some time in the future?

Government Committee for Religious Affairs officially launched its website at http://www.btgcp.gov.vn, on September 27.

This year, 12 August marks a crucial date for young people and societies around the world. Today, we celebrate the launch of the International Year of Youth, under the theme Dialogue and Mutual Understanding. Twenty-five years ago, in 1985, we celebrated the first International Youth Year. The challenges for youth development that were identified during that year laid the foundation for the World Programme of Action for Youth, and its 15 priority areas still provide us with a useful guide to enhance the wellbeing of young women and men. While progress has been achieved in some of these areas, much remains to be done to ensure that all our youth become skilled, healthy and productive members of society.

This year, 12 August marks a crucial date for young people and societies around the world. Today, we celebrate the launch of the International Year of Youth, under the theme Dialogue and Mutual Understanding. Twenty-five years ago, in 1985, we celebrated the first International Youth Year. The challenges for youth development that were identified during that year laid the foundation for the World Programme of Action for Youth, and its 15 priority areas still provide us with a useful guide to enhance the wellbeing of young women and men. While progress has been achieved in some of these areas, much remains to be done to ensure that all our youth become skilled, healthy and productive members of society.

Many of IFAD’s programmes target young people. Yet when we talk about involving “youth” in our programmes we often seem to forget that young women and men lead very different lives and have different needs.

The Central Highlands province of Dak Lak has set a target to have 15,000 pupils at 100 primary and secondary schools attend classes in both Vietnamese and Ede languages from now to 2015.
The plan aims to not only help improve education quality for Ede ethnic pupils, but also preserve and develop the language and culture of the minority group.

A nationwide writing contest, entitled ‘Say No to Domestic Violence’ has been launched in Hanoi in a move to raise the entire society’s awareness of a happy, progressive and equal life.

On the morning of 18th June 2010, in Hanoi, the Central Vietnam Women’s Union organized a workshop on developing the measures of prevention of human trafficking. Attending at the workshop were representatives from relating departments of the Ministry of Security, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, High Command of Border Guard, lecturers of Police Academy, Ha Noi National University, leaders of VWU departments and experts on gender and law.

In the first half of 2010, provinces in the Mekong River Delta have generated jobs for 60,000 rural workers, including 17,000 ethnic people.

Many female labourers, particularly those working in industrial parks, suffer from low wages, overwork and inadequate living conditions, according to a survey of 34 enterprises in 10 provinces by the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour.