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| According to National Assembly Delegate Nguyen Thi Viet Nga, there are still pain points related to the implementation of children's rights. (Photo: NVCC) |
From your perspective, what is the current awareness of children's rights protection in our country?
Vietnam was the first country in Asia and the second country in the world to ratify the international convention on the rights of the child in 1990. To date, the issue of protecting children's rights in the community has had many positive results.
The positive aspects first come from the increasingly improved system of policies and laws, with many outstanding contents for the care, protection and education of children, typically in laws such as: Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence (amended); Law on Cinema with many new points.
In addition, the direction, management and resolution of the Government , central and local ministries and branches are very timely, especially measures to protect and support orphans due to the Covid-19 pandemic; mental health care for children, prevention of violence, abuse, prevention of accidents and injuries to children...
However, there are still painful problems. Child abuse continues to occur in a very complicated manner. There are extremely heartbreaking cases that have been reported by the press, causing public outrage.
Alarmingly, there are cases of children being abused, even deprived of their right to live by their own family members. The number of children drowning each year is still high, and there is a lack of playgrounds for children. Children in remote, isolated, and disadvantaged areas still suffer many disadvantages both materially and mentally, and there are still many children abandoned by their parents.
So, what challenges are there in ensuring children's rights in Vietnam?
First of all , awareness of children's rights is still inadequate among some people. In the community, there is still a state of misunderstanding, and even some cases of ignorance of this concept, which is a major barrier in the implementation of rights, protection and care for children.
Second, the budget for children's work is still small compared to actual needs. The system of structure, organization, and human resources for state management of children at all levels, especially at the grassroots level, is lacking in quantity and lacking in quality and expertise.
Third, along with the development of society, many potential problems for children appear. For example, the information environment and social networks contain many toxic elements for immature minds.
Fourth , with the hustle and bustle of modern life, especially in big cities, parents and relatives have little time to care about children's spiritual life, even though material life is increasingly improving, affecting children's comprehensive development.
As a National Assembly member, what are your feelings about the current situation of school violence and child labor exploitation?
When it comes to school violence, let’s not blame the children. The ancients said, “Human nature is inherently good.” When people are born, kindness is their inborn nature. Does the way children use violence to deal with each other reflect the environment and what they have absorbed from adults?
Do parents know what their children read and watch online every day? Do parents know the stages of their children's psychological development, including times of "rebellion" and crisis? Without someone to accompany, confide in, share with, and guide them, they can easily lose their way. Do parents think that their daily words, speech, and behavior, and more broadly, their social behavior, have and are affecting their children? These things, although silent, have a very strong impact on the formation of their children's personalities, more than all theoretical teachings.
Do teachers really understand and awaken the potential of their students? Have adults created a healthy and safe environment for children? Looking at children who are not yet of school age, ready to use violence to deal with each other, I think the first fault lies with adults.
Not to mention the cases of child labor exploitation. It is not uncommon for very young children to be pushed onto the streets by their own relatives to make a living, forced to sell street goods, lottery tickets, or even beg.
There are still many small-scale production and business establishments that employ minors with heavy workloads and low wages. All of this violates the law on children's rights and goes against the country's efforts to implement the international convention on the rights of the child.
What are your recommendations to create a solid legal basis to better protect children's rights?
In my opinion, in terms of institutions, we need to continue reviewing to research, amend, supplement, and perfect policies and laws, fully and effectively implementing children's rights.
The Government's 2022 performance report sent to the National Assembly outlined solutions for 2023 to ensure the implementation of children's rights, including proposals to study and develop the Law on Juvenile Justice, the Law on Lifelong Learning, and the Law on Teachers. I fully agree because these laws all have contents closely related to the implementation of children's rights.
In addition, the dissemination and propaganda of laws on children and children's rights need to be further promoted. Inter-sectoral direction and coordination must be strengthened to achieve more positive results.
What about the issue of citizens' awareness of protecting children's rights, madam?
Each individual's awareness is closely related to the work of propaganda and dissemination of the law. On the other hand, parents need to be more proactive and positive in understanding the provisions of the law, and understanding the thoughts and aspirations of their children.
Finally, I think, to best realize children's rights, parents should first give their children a proper family home, to ensure that they have a life of material sufficiency, and are cared for, loved, and grow up in a truly cultural, civilized, and healthy environment.
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