Protect children anytime, anywhere!

On the morning of September 10th, the first mock session of the "Children's Parliament" took place in the Dien Hong Hall of the National Assembly .

The Children's Parliament discussed and debated two topical issues concerning children today: protecting children's healthy and creative interactions in the online environment, and preventing and combating accidents, injuries, violence, and abuse against children. The mock session heard reports and explanations from members of the Children's Government , clarifying the issues raised by the Children's Parliament delegates.

Many valid suggestions and recommendations have been put forward to address children's problems.

Speaking to child parliamentarians after the conclusion of the mock session, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue highly appreciated the initiative to organize the mock session of the Children's Parliament.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue delivers a speech (Photo: Nghia Duc)

The Chairman of the National Assembly affirmed that the Party, the State, and the entire society always pay special attention to and care for children. Vietnam was the first country in Asia and the second in the world to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The National Assembly and the Government have issued many legal documents to affirm the rights of children and the responsibilities of state agencies, families, schools, and society in caring for, educating, and protecting children. Most notably, these include the 2016 Law on Children, the 2019 Law on Education, the National Action Program for Children, and many programs and projects on the comprehensive development of children.

Currently, Vietnam has over 25 million children, accounting for 25.5% of the total population. Of these, 100% of children under 6 years old have free health insurance cards. Nearly 100% of children of school age attend school, and 95% of children under 1 year old receive full vaccinations. Children's spiritual lives, recreational activities, and social environments are increasingly rich and diverse, receiving attention and care from all levels of government, sectors, and society as a whole. The program to support orphaned children due to the COVID-19 pandemic has received very positive and effective support from numerous agencies, organizations, individuals, and international organizations.

According to the Speaker of the National Assembly, although significant and comprehensive results have been achieved, the work of educating, caring for, and protecting children still faces many difficulties and challenges. Many children in mountainous and highland areas, and children from ethnic minorities, do not have sufficient access to high-quality education and healthcare services, and their nutrition is not adequately ensured. Children with disabilities, orphans, and those without a place to live still need more attention from state agencies and society. The situation of children being subjected to violence, abuse, accidents, and injuries, especially drowning, still occurs in many localities; many children are negatively affected by information on the internet; and the lack of healthy, beneficial, and safe playgrounds for children remains quite common.

This situation shows that we still have much work to do to better protect and care for the future generations of our country.

Sharing his thoughts with the child National Assembly delegates at the mock session, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue praised the achievements and efforts of the children, noting that despite their young age, they diligently researched and studied, demonstrating maturity, confidence, and thoughtful, insightful thinking when playing the roles of National Assembly delegates, and even leaders of the National Assembly and Government, in managing discussions and making many relevant proposals and recommendations to address children's issues.

At the same time, we hope that the children will continue to strive, have ambitions and dreams, and contribute greatly to the development of the country in the future; we express our hope that among the children participating in today's program, many will, upon reaching adulthood, through training and striving, gain the trust of the people and become true members of the National Assembly.

Emphasizing the global reality that children's voices have moved and changed the perceptions of adults and contributed to changing the world, the Speaker of the National Assembly stated that the opinions discussed by the children, and especially the Resolution of the mock session, serve as a basis for the National Assembly, the Government, and relevant ministries, agencies, and organizations to study, absorb, and better prepare for the process of enacting policies and laws on issues related to children, especially the two topics chosen by the Mock Session of the Children's Parliament.

Make the process of reviewing and protecting children's rights a mandatory step in the legislative process.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue requested that the National Assembly, the Government, ministries, localities, the Youth Union, and other political and social organizations pay more attention to and better implement the work of protecting, caring for, and educating children.

In there,   Party committees and government agencies continue to thoroughly understand the Party's guidelines and policies, and the State's laws and regulations on the protection, care, and education of children. The system of policies and laws on the protection, care, and education of children, and on preventing and combating violence, abuse, and injuries to children, has been issued relatively fully and comprehensively, yielding positive results in practice. However, negative incidents involving children still occur, and dangers to children, especially in the online environment, are evolving in complex and unpredictable forms. This necessitates raising awareness of the importance of implementing policies, laws, programs, and projects on child care and protection, and investing resources, both budgetary and human, in child-related work in the future.

Child delegates attend a mock session (Photo: Nghia Duc)

The National Assembly's agencies, National Assembly deputies, and socio-political organizations should strengthen their oversight of the implementation of children's rights and legal regulations on child care, education, and protection. They should promptly organize briefing sessions on urgent current issues related to children. During the process of reviewing and approving draft laws, ordinances, and resolutions, attention should be paid to verifying provisions that guarantee children's rights.

"In the future, it is necessary to study the possibility of making the process of reviewing content ensuring children's rights a mandatory step in legislative activities, similar to the current review on gender equality," said the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The government continues to direct ministries, sectors, and localities to coordinate closely to address emerging issues in the care, education, and protection of children, especially those issues raised by children and included in resolutions at today's mock National Assembly session. It will review, refine, and direct the implementation of policies to care for children, especially orphans, children with disabilities, children from ethnic minorities, and children of workers and laborers.

Dedicate your deepest affection, responsibility, love, care, and nurturing to children.

The Speaker of the National Assembly emphasized that the protection, care, and education of children need to be carried out synchronously by families, schools, and society. Parents, caregivers, and each family need to take greater responsibility in caring for, nurturing, and educating children, so that children are truly happy, safe, and have their voices expressed in their homes. Families need to pay attention to the physical and psychological health of children, avoiding putting unreasonable pressure on them regarding their studies and lives.

For schools and teachers, it's important to create an educational environment where every day at school is a joy for the children. Teachers should be like second parents to the children, regularly listening to their opinions and aspirations, and supporting them so they don't feel pressured by studying or exams.

As a community, let us always show the utmost affection, responsibility, love, care, and nurturing towards children. Protecting children at all times and in all places is also the foundation for building a compassionate and sharing society, creating a future generation of citizens with the qualities and intelligence to contribute to the development of our country.

At the local level, authorities at all levels need to act as a bridge, coordinating between the government, families, schools, and society in protecting, caring for, and educating children. People's Councils and leaders of provinces and cities should strengthen dialogue with children; research the integration of child development indicators into local socio-economic development indicators; and allocate budgets and resources to implement programs, projects, and initiatives related to child welfare. Specific solutions should be developed to enhance the role, responsibility, and effectiveness of local authorities and officials working on child welfare.

For the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Central Council of the Young Pioneers, and all levels of the Youth Union and Young Pioneers, the Chairman of the National Assembly needs to continue to promote its role as an organization representing the voice and aspirations of children; always demonstrating a proactive and creative spirit in advising and implementing the Party and State's policies and guidelines in a lively and effective manner for children. Emphasis should be placed on effectively implementing models that promote children's participation in issues concerning children.

Affirming that the National Assembly and its Standing Committee are ready to create the most favorable conditions for organizing mock sessions of the Children's Parliament in the near future, the Speaker of the National Assembly also requested the Government, ministries, sectors, and local leaders to pay special attention to ensuring that all conditions are met for the Central Youth Union, the Central Children's Council, and all levels of the Youth Union and Children's Council to effectively carry out their task of representing the voices and aspirations of children and promoting children's right to participate in matters concerning them.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders and delegates attending the session, the Chairman of the National Assembly wished the young National Assembly delegates and all children nationwide to always be well-behaved, excel in their studies, diligently follow the Five Teachings of Uncle Ho, constantly strive to become "Masters of the country," actively promote children's participation in matters concerning children, fulfill their rights and responsibilities, and contribute to realizing the goal and aspiration of a strong and prosperous Vietnam, bringing the Vietnamese nation to stand proudly alongside the great powers of the world, as beloved Uncle Ho always wished.

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