Strengthening cooperation with UNICEF for child protection and care in Vietnam

This year marks 50 years of Viet Nam–UNICEF cooperation and 35 years since Viet Nam ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Nguyễn Thị Tuyến underscored that Viet Nam regards UNICEF as a vital development partner, and expressed gratitude for its strong support in implementing Vietnam’s child welfare policies, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the expanded immunization program for children, and providing emergency relief for disaster-affected regions.

UNICEF congratulates the VWU on its 95th anniversary

Ms. Tuyến emphasized that child protection, care, and education are top priorities in Vietnam’s development agenda. She highlighted a major new policy initiated by General Secretary Tô Lâm to waive tuition fees for all public preschool and general education students starting in the 2025–2026 school year, aiming to ensure educational rights and lighten the financial burden on families.

Over recent years, the VWU and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union have collaborated with UNICEF in areas such as child protection and health, anti-trafficking, peace house shelter, rural water and sanitation, parenting education, and gender-based violence prevention.

The VWU has implemented numerous social programs, notably the “Patron-Parents” initiative (2021–2025), which has mobilized VND 243.65 billion to support 37,765 orphans, including more than 3,000 children who lost their parents to COVID-19.

At the VWU’s 95th anniversary celebration, General Secretary Tô Lâm proposed 10 strategic directions for the 2025–2035 period with a vision toward 2045. Among them was the expansion of the well-known campaign “Building the Families of 5 Without-s & 3 Clean-s” into “5 Without-s, 3 Clean-s, Three Safe-s” — symbolizing safety, peace of mind, and social security.

Ms. Tuyến expressed hope that UNICEF would continue collaborating with the VFF and socio-political organizations to develop more initiatives supporting child protection and care.

UNICEF Representative Silvia Danailov commended the Vietnam Women’s Union for its active cooperation, particularly its work in improving parenting skills and promoting gender equality. She affirmed that the VWU is one of UNICEF’s key partners in sharing lessons and advancing joint efforts against gender-based violence.

She noted that UNICEF and the VFF, including the VWU and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, share the same vision of protecting children and women, promoting gender equality, and ensuring access to essential services. Ms. Danailov proposed further collaboration focusing on key areas such as: preventing violence against children; menstrual hygiene communication for adolescent girls; parenting skills development; protecting women and children from abuse, violence, and trafficking; combating child marriage; promoting gender equality and youth participation in social life.

Ms. Nguyễn Thị Tuyến welcomed these proposals and suggested further cooperation to mobilize resources for child protection and care, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals related to children, especially in education, health, nutrition, vaccination, and gender equality.

She also called for UNICEF’s greater support for disadvantaged, remote, and disaster-prone regions, as well as cooperation in policy consultation and digital access for children, helping to nurture a high-quality human resource generation for the future.

Delegates at the meeting

“In today’s context, children face growing challenges from digital transformation, cybersecurity risks, climate change, and emotional violence. It requires the attention and cooperation of the entire society and support from international organizations to minimize these impacts. This collective effort must aim to create a safe environment, provide essential knowledge and skills, and promote gender equality in all child protection and support activities,” Ms. Tuyến concluded.