ASEAN countries have had specific plans and roadmaps to realize the Hanoi Declaration on Promoting Social Work towards a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community.
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| Delegates officially launched the ASEAN Guidelines on Empowering Women and Children. (Photo: Pham Hang) |
On March 28 in Quang Ninh, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) coordinated with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and representatives of the United Nations Agency for Gender equality and women's empowerment organizes an international conference combining face-to-face and online implementation of the ASEAN Guidelines on empowering women and children: Providing quality social work services resources for those at risk or affected by violence.
The workshop was attended by Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha, UNFPA Chief Representative Matt Jackson, UNICEF Representative Rana Flowers, UN Women Representative in Vietnam Caroline T. Nyamayemombe, Acting Development Counselor Ambassador Australian Embassy Majdie Hordern, representative of the ASEAN Committee for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) of ASEAN countries and delegates from many provinces and cities of Vietnam.
Speaking at the opening of the Workshop, Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha emphasized the process of obtaining the ASEAN Guidelines on empowering women and children. Accordingly, after the Hanoi Declaration on Promoting Social Work towards a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community was approved by ASEAN Senior Leaders in 2020, the Roadmap for implementing the Declaration continues to be recognized by ASEAN Leaders in 2021. This has affirmed ASEAN's commitment to investing in promoting and strengthening the role of social work, including capacity building for social workers. in the ASEAN Community.
With 7 priority areas to realize 11 commitments of ASEAN Leaders, the Roadmap for implementing the Hanoi Declaration has great significance for ASEAN member countries in the context of the current situation of social work being uncertain. meet the needs of the people, especially vulnerable groups in the new context of the pandemic, population aging and climate change.
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| Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha spoke at the opening of the Workshop. (Photo: Pham Hang) |
According to Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha, within the framework of the Work Plan of the ASEAN Social Work Association for the period 2021-2025 and the Actual Roadmap of the Declaration, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, as the focal point of the The Association in Vietnam leads the development of the ASEAN Regional Guide: Empowering women and children, providing quality social work services to those at risk of or affected by violence. force.
The guidance has just been recognized by ASEAN Senior Leaders at the 43rd ASEAN Summit taking place in September 9 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Since the beginning of 2023, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, as the lead agency, has closely coordinated with the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN member countries and with the support of UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA to establish a working group. Collaborate to develop and complete the Guide.
This document contributes to supporting ASEAN member countries to more effectively implement the Roadmap; strengthen the social work system to contribute to resolving and preventing violence against women and children; helps policy makers as well as relevant specialized agencies design and deliver quality social work services for people at risk of or affected by violence, especially women and children.
Speaking at the Conference, UNFPA Chief Representative Matt Jackson highly appreciated the efforts of Vietnam and ASEAN to empower women and children.
“Together with UNICEF and UN Women, UNFPA is pleased to have had the opportunity to coordinate the development of these ASEAN guidelines as well as sponsor countries to translate the guidelines into their languages,” UNFPA Representative Matt Jackson share.
According to Mr. Matt Jackson, the goal of the ASEAN Guidelines is to assist policymakers, managers and members of the social service workforce and related sectors in ASEAN member states to establish Design and deliver quality social work services to support women and children experiencing violence. The Guide should be used as a reference point to develop legislation, policies and tools to deliver quality social work services in this sector.
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| Representatives of Laos shared online about Laos' experiences at the Conference. (Photo: Pham Hang) |
Regarding Vietnam's efforts, Mr. Matt Jackson assessed that over the past decades, the Vietnamese Government has coordinated with United Nations agencies, specifically UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women, in efforts to end violence. for women and children while strengthening support services for people experiencing violence.
Vietnam has participated in the important pilot program "Basic service package to support women and girls experiencing violence", with 4 intervention programs on social services, health, policy, and justice. and coordination. Social work plays an important role in supporting people experiencing gender-based violence and connecting with other services.
This joint program therefore emphasizes the principles and approaches of high-quality social work support that respect women and children experiencing 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 Social Work Development for the period 2021-2030 and the National Program on improving and developing the social support system. by 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 especially emphasized the role of social workers, saying that this is the core force to ensure implementation. 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 feel secure in carrying out their important missions.
Within the framework of the Conference, there was also participation in sharing experiences on preventing violence against women and children from a number of ASEAN member countries, providing good examples of taking advantage of regional efforts. on actual activities in each member country.
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According to UNFPA, violence against women and children remains one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world despite many efforts to end it. According to a 2013 United Nations study on violence against women in Asia-Pacific, the rate of women being abused by men ranges from 26% to 80% across countries. Also according to UNFPA, women from vulnerable groups and minorities are at higher risk of experiencing violence: For example, women with disabilities are at higher risk of physical violence than women without disabilities. at least 1,5 times. Additionally, UNICEF research estimates rates of physical abuse among boys and girls in the region range from 10% to more than 30%; sexual abuse up to 11%; and emotional abuse from 31% to 68%. National research on violence against women in Vietnam conducted in 2019 with support from UNFPA shows that nearly 3 out of 2 women have experienced at least one form of violence by a husband or wife. caused by a partner in life. However, violence remains largely hidden, with more than 90% of women never seeking support from social workers or local authorities. |
