For a Community Free from Violence

ASEAN countries have developed specific plans and roadmaps to realize the Hanoi Declaration on Promoting Social Work Towards a Cohesive and Proactive ASEAN Community.

Official delegates launch the ASEAN Guidelines on Empowering Women and Children. (Photo: Pham Hang)

On March 28th in Quang Ninh , the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and representatives from the United Nations Agency for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, organized an international workshop combining in-person and online participation to implement the ASEAN Guidelines on Empowering Women and Children: Providing Quality Social Work Services to Those at Risk or Affected by Violence.

The workshop was attended by Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha, UNFPA Representative Matt Jackson, UNICEF Representative Rana Flowers, UN Women Representative in Vietnam Caroline T. Nyamayemombe, Acting Development Counsellor of the Australian Embassy Majdie Hordern, representatives of the ASEAN Committee on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) from ASEAN countries, and delegates from many provinces and cities of Vietnam.

In her opening remarks at the workshop, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha emphasized the process of developing the ASEAN Guidelines on Empowering Women and Children. Accordingly, following the adoption of the Hanoi Declaration on Promoting Social Work Towards a Cohesive and Resilient ASEAN Community by ASEAN Leaders in 2020, the Roadmap for implementing the Declaration was further recognized by ASEAN Leaders in 2021. This affirms ASEAN's commitment to investing in and promoting the role of social work, including capacity building for social workers within the ASEAN Community.

With seven priority areas aimed at realizing the 11 commitments of ASEAN Leaders, the Roadmap for Implementing the Hanoi Declaration is of great significance to ASEAN member states, given the current state of social work which has not met the needs of the people, especially vulnerable groups, in the new context of the pandemic, population aging, and climate change.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha delivered the opening remarks at the workshop. (Photo: Pham Hang)

According to Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha, within the framework of the ASEAN Social Work Association's Work Plan for the period 2021-2025 and the Implementation Roadmap of the Declaration, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, as the focal agency of the Association in Vietnam, is leading the development of the ASEAN Regional Guidelines: Empowering women and children, providing quality social work services to those at risk of or affected by violence.

The Guidelines were recently recognized by ASEAN Senior Leaders at the 43rd ASEAN Summit held in September 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Since the beginning of 2023, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, as the lead agency, has closely coordinated with the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN member states, and with the support of UNICEF, UN Women, and UNFPA, established a working group to develop and finalize the Guidelines.

This document contributes to supporting ASEAN member states in more effectively implementing the Roadmap; strengthening social work systems to address and prevent violence against women and children; and assisting policymakers and relevant agencies in designing and delivering quality social work services for those at risk of or affected by violence, especially women and children.

Speaking at the workshop, UNFPA Representative Matt Jackson praised Vietnam and ASEAN's efforts in empowering women and children.

“Together with UNICEF and UN Women, UNFPA is delighted to have had the opportunity to coordinate the development of these ASEAN guidelines and to fund the countries in translating the guidelines into their own languages,” said UNFPA Representative Matt Jackson.

According to Matt Jackson, the goal of the ASEAN Guidelines is to support policymakers, managers, and members of the social services workforce and related stakeholders in ASEAN member states in designing and delivering quality social work services to support women and children experiencing violence. The Guidelines should be used as a point of reference for developing legislation, policies, and tools to deliver quality social work services in this area.

Representatives from Laos shared their experiences online at the workshop. (Photo: Pham Hang)

Regarding Vietnam's efforts, Matt Jackson noted that over the past decades, the Vietnamese government has collaborated with United Nations agencies, specifically UNFPA, UNICEF, and UN Women, to end violence against women and children and enhance support services for victims of violence.

Vietnam has participated in the important pilot program “Basic Services Package to Support Women and Girls Affected by Violence,” with four intervention programs covering social services, health, policy, justice, and coordination. Social work plays a crucial role in supporting victims of gender-based violence and connecting them to other services.

This joint program therefore emphasizes the principles and approaches of high-quality social work support, namely respect for women and children who are victims of violence. The approaches in social work are promotion, prevention, and response.

In an effort to improve the social work profession, Vietnam has also launched the National Program for the Development of Social Work 2021-2030 and the National Program for Improving and Developing the Social Support System until 2025. The aim is to increase the number of social workers and ensure the provision of high-quality social work services.

Expressing agreement with Mr. Matt Jackson, at the workshop, UNICEF Representative Rana Flowers particularly emphasized the role of social workers, stating that they are a core force in ensuring the implementation of plans to prevent violence against women and girls. Therefore, Vietnam and ASEAN members should have appropriate strategies in training and ensuring the rights of social workers so that they can confidently carry out their important mission.

The workshop also included sharing experiences on preventing violence against women and children from several ASEAN member countries, presenting good examples of leveraging regional efforts in practical activities in each member country.

According to UNFPA, violence against women and children remains one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world, despite numerous efforts to end it. A 2013 UN study on violence against women in the Asia-Pacific region found that the percentage of women subjected to violence by men varied between 26% and 80% across countries.

According to UNFPA, women belonging to vulnerable and minority groups are at a higher risk of violence: for example, women with disabilities are at least 1.5 times more likely to experience physical violence than women without disabilities. Furthermore, UNICEF research estimates that the rate of physical abuse among boys and girls in the region ranges from 10% to over 30%; sexual abuse up to 11%; and emotional abuse from 31% to 68%.

A 2019 national study on violence against women in Vietnam, conducted with support from UNFPA, revealed that nearly two out of three women have experienced at least one form of violence perpetrated by their husband or partner in their lifetime. However, the violence remains largely hidden, with over 90% of women never seeking support from social workers or local authorities.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/huong-dan-asean-ve-tang-cuong-quyen-nang-cho-phu-nu-va-tre-em-vi-mot-cong-dong-khong-con-bao-luc-265800.html