Piloted since 2017, the Children's Council model has been deployed in many provinces and cities across the country, making an important contribution to promoting children's rights and voices. Stepping into the National Assembly building for the first time as a delegate of the Children's National Assembly - a hypothetical National Assembly model, speaking up to represent the wishes and aspirations of children, Thanh Thao, a 9th grade student, H'Mong ethnic group, Vice Chairman of the Children's Council of Xin Man district,
Ha Giang province, shared that this was something she had never thought of before. [caption id="attachment_604702" align="alignnone" width="768"]
The Children's Council is a positive model in empowering students to speak up and
educate them about human rights in today's secondary schools.[/caption]
Affirming the voice of children For Thanh Thao, students in mountainous areas and ethnic minorities have more difficult living conditions than those in the lowlands, and most families and parents do not have knowledge and are influenced by long-standing prejudices and customs, so the Children's Council model has even greater significance. Coming to the Children's National Assembly, Thao wants to raise prominent issues such as injuries, drowning, food poisoning, abuse, and violence that are affecting many children, both in her locality and elsewhere. Like Thanh Thao, Mai Nhi, a Tay ethnic, 8th grade student at Nguyen Trai Secondary School, Viet Quang Town, Bac Quang District, Ha Giang Province, is also making efforts to participate in the Children's Council as a provincial council member. "While meeting other children, I heard stories about how they had suffered violence, abuse, and early marriage. Those stories helped me understand more about the circumstances of my local children and write reports to send to the Provincial Youth Union to discuss and propose ideas and solutions to local leaders," Mai Nhi shared. According to Ms. Nguyen Pham Duy Trang, Permanent Chairman of the Central Council of the Young Pioneers, the model of the Provincial Children's Council was assigned by the Central Committee
of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to the Central Council of the Young Pioneers to build and pilot since 2017, implementing Decision No. 1235/QD-TTg dated August 3, 2015 of the Prime Minister approving the Program to promote children's participation in children's issues for the period 2016-2020. Since then, the model has continuously developed and achieved many positive results, especially the first successful organization of the Children's National Assembly - a hypothetical National Assembly model to promote children's participation in children's issues. Participating in the Children's Council, children learn more about the Law on Children, are equipped with knowledge about children's rights and obligations, and practice skills in many aspects when performing the role of children's voice representatives. Accordingly, children have the task of contacting, learning, and grasping the thoughts and aspirations of their classmates, at school, and in the locality, from there synthesizing, exchanging with other members of the council and proposing children's wishes and aspirations as well as recommending solutions to local leaders. [caption id="attachment_604707" align="alignnone" width="768"]
Empowering children is also the clearest demonstration of human rights education in schools.[/caption]
Opportunity to equip useful knowledge and skills Representing the voice of Ha Giang children at the National Assembly Children's session to express their thoughts, opinions and aspirations, Mai Nhi said she felt extremely happy and proud. "When I am trusted and loved by my friends, I feel that I need to be more responsible, try harder, and improve my knowledge to be worthy of representing the voice of children in the whole province," Mai Nhi shared. According to Mai Nhi, although she has only joined the Children's Council since 2022, through the activities in the Council, she has gradually matured every day. Interacting with many children from different backgrounds also helps her understand the value of life better. For Y Nguyen, a Mo Nam ethnic minority, a 9th grade student at Hieu Commune Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, Kon Plong District, Kon Tum Province, and Chairman of the Kon Plong District Children's Council, participating in the Children's Council has given him the opportunity to acquire a lot of useful knowledge and skills. Born and raised in a place where 99.9% of the population is ethnic minorities, where the intellectual level is limited with many prejudices, especially gender prejudices, and having to go to school more than 10km from home, Y Nguyen still constantly strives to persevere in studying and actively participates in school activities. He is a member of the Leaders of Change Club, a model of activity at Hieu Commune Secondary School of Plan International [an international organization operating in 75 countries around
the world in the field of children's rights, including Vietnam]. In June 2023, when she learned that KonPlong District Youth Union coordinated with Plan to establish a district-level Children's Council, Y Nguyen was trusted by her friends and school to introduce her. “At first, I was not really confident in my work. However, through the activities and skills training sessions of KonPlong District Youth Union combined with the Plan project, I became more confident, had more knowledge and skills, and felt that what I experienced was extremely useful,” Y Nguyen said. With the knowledge and skills equipped, Y Nguyen shared with her friends about what gender equality is, what social prejudice is... to together improve knowledge about children's rights in the school community and her locality. The girl from the Central Highlands said that she dreams of becoming a really good officer in child protection work, to be able to help children in her hometown as well as children in other localities to study and live in a safe and healthy environment. Witnessing the growth of his little student, Mr. Duong Van Phuc, the teacher in charge of the Youth Union at Hieu Commune Boarding Secondary School, still remembers Y Nguyen's shy appearance when she first entered the school. But through each activity in the school's club, she has become stronger, more confident, and more active. "Joining the District Children's Council, Y Nguyen is very excited and always shares good and useful things with her friends, contributing to raising the understanding of children's rights among students in the school," said Mr. Phuc.
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