Promoting Vietnam - UNICEF cooperation in policy research on children's rights

On the morning of November 25, at the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member, Director of the Academy, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, had a meeting and exchange with Ms. June Kunugi, Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for East Asia and the Pacific.

Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang received UNICEF Director for East Asia and the Pacific June Kunugi. Photo: Tuan Anh/VNA

Speaking at the reception, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang expressed his joy and deep impression of UNICEF's contributions to Vietnam's development over the past 50 years; emphasizing that UNICEF's support has made an important contribution to changing awareness, especially in establishing, protecting and ensuring children's rights, access to health services, education and integrating child-related policies.

The Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics said that Vietnam is making efforts to implement important resolutions, including the issuance of a resolution on building a modern, integrated national education system and a resolution on health care and improving people's happiness. Vietnam is also making great efforts to exempt tuition fees for children at preschool and primary levels and ensure free meals for students in public schools.

Referring to the major challenges that Vietnam is facing, including the impacts of climate change, storms, floods and natural disasters, especially the issue of protecting children's rights in the context of unprecedented development of digital technology and artificial intelligence, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang suggested that UNICEF and Vietnam, including the Academy, build a mechanism for policy dialogue, cooperation programs or projects, and comprehensive approaches to both consulting research and training and fostering of officials on the issue of protecting children's rights.

Stating that Vietnam is promoting the construction of national databases on population and social life areas, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thang proposed that UNICEF could support Vietnam in building a national database on children.

Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang received UNICEF Director for East Asia and the Pacific June Kunugi. Photo: Tuan Anh/VNA

At the meeting, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Director June Kunugi expressed deep condolences over the loss of life and damage caused by recent storms, floods and landslides in Vietnam.

Thanking Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang for taking the time to receive the delegation, Ms. June Kunugi said that this visit and work in Vietnam took place in the context of celebrating 50 years of cooperation between Vietnam and UNICEF.

UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Director expressed her joy and emotion when returning to Vietnam after nearly 30 years, sending congratulations on the "tremendous progress" that Vietnam has achieved. Ms. June Kunugi emphasized that Vietnam is the first country in Asia and the second in the world to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, demonstrating an early vision of considering children's rights as the foundation of human rights, development, peace, security and stability.

Ms. June Kunugi also acknowledged Vietnam's outstanding achievements such as significantly reducing child mortality and malnutrition, supporting early childhood development, universal access to primary education and improving the child protection system. She affirmed that the role of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics in shaping national policies and training leadership is fundamental; she wished to strengthen cooperation with the Academy to build a database and evidence on children to serve policy decisions.

Scene of the reception. Photo: Tuan Anh/VNA

Sharing the proposals of Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang, UNICEF Director for East Asia and the Pacific June Kunugi expressed interest in forming a comprehensive cooperation framework with the Academy; emphasizing that all policies and programs must be child-centered and evidence-based, especially in the context of vulnerable population groups, including children, increasingly facing economic shocks and crises or climate disasters.

At the meeting, the two sides agreed on the direction of future cooperation, with key contents on research, policy advice, staff training, support for digital transformation and data for children, and coordination in organizing international seminars and conferences.

*Also on the morning of November 25, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and UNICEF jointly organized a seminar to share the results of research cooperation between Vietnam and UNICEF in creating development opportunities for children.

Speaking at the seminar, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, affirmed that Vietnam always considers children to be the center of the country's development strategy; emphasizing that UNICEF is a reliable partner, accompanying Vietnam for the past 5 decades, supporting Vietnam to promote reforms to improve the quality of life and development opportunities for all children, especially vulnerable children.

UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Director expressed her appreciation for Vietnam's commitment to policy development and human resource development and children's rights. Ms. June Kunugi also reaffirmed UNICEF's commitment to fully support the Vietnamese Government's plans to ensure that all children are protected, trained, educated and enjoy all socio-economic development opportunities, leaving no child behind.

At the seminar, scientists and experts from both sides exchanged and evaluated Vietnam's achievements in 50 years of implementing the goals for children and recommendations on the Agenda for Children (2026 - 2030), vision to 2045; and identified global trends affecting children.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/day-manh-hop-tac-viet-nam-unicef-trong-nghien-cuu-chinh-sach-ve-quyen-tre-em-20251125134136731.htm