The Dragon Bridge remains orange for 60 minutes each night before changing color as usual to show support for the 2025 Month of Action for Gender Equality and Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence, launched by the People's Committee of the city.
The color of a global campaign
In 2008, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) chose orange as the color of its global campaign to end gender-based violence. Since then, the color orange has appeared in hundreds of architectural projects and countless media campaigns across continents as a symbol of hope and an uncompromising stance against violence against women and children.
Da Nang has also joined this trend. For many years, the City Women's Union and related agencies have chosen orange as the main color for their communication campaign on preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
At the Dragon Bridge, from mid-November each year, the color orange is consistently maintained between 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM every night. During this brief period, many locals and tourists linger longer than usual to admire the lights and read the banner placed at the bridge's entrance to better understand the message behind the illumination. A few streets away, the headquarters of the City Women's Union also glows in orange every evening. Over time, the color orange has become a visual highlight in the communication campaign on gender equality and violence prevention in Da Nang.
Da Nang is the second city in Vietnam and the 56th in the world to be recognized by UN Women as participating in the global flagship initiative “Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces”. This helps the city access international models for preventing gender-based violence, thereby developing solutions suitable to local conditions. According to the Chairwoman of the Da Nang Women's Union, Hoang Thi Thu Huong, the true strength of the communication campaign lies in creating a community capable of recognizing, responding to, and supporting each other. “We want everyone to understand that protecting women and children is not solely the responsibility of authorities or social organizations, but a shared responsibility of the community. A small action, a piece of advice, a call for support, or timely intervention all contribute to reducing violence and creating a safer environment.”
Regularly providing psychological counseling to children with neurological disorders, Dr. Tong Thi Luyen, Specialist II, Department of Child Psychiatry, Da Nang Mental Hospital, emphasizes the importance of building a culture of respect and equality in behavior starting from the family, school, and workplace. When individuals are aware of their own rights and the rights of others, they will proactively prevent acts of violence and encourage victims to trust and seek support.
Strengthening measures to protect women and children.
The preliminary results of the 5-year implementation of Directive No. 39-CT/TU dated April 24, 2020, of the Standing Committee of the Da Nang City Party Committee on "Building Da Nang City safe and free from violence against women and children" show that, in the past 5 years, there have been 147 cases of child abuse and 345 cases of domestic violence in the city. Many of these victims once thought that if they endured the abuse, they would have a better chance of living a happier life.
Ms. LTH (38 years old), a victim of domestic violence in Lien Chieu ward, still remembers the feeling of being cornered one night in early October. She recounted that her husband, after a period of unemployment and frequent drunkenness, vented all his frustrations on his wife and children. “I endured it because I thought my children needed a complete family. But the more I tolerated it, the more outrageous my husband became,” Ms. H. shared. That night, when a conflict arose between her and her husband, leading to a physical altercation, fearing for her safety, she decided to call the hotline of the Vietnam Women's Union for help. Upon being connected, the ward's Women's Union, along with the local authorities and police, quickly investigated the incident. Thanks to the active analysis and legal advice from the authorities, Ms. H.'s husband admitted his wrongdoing and pledged not to repeat it.
Alongside victims like Ms. H. are the Women's Union officials, local authorities, police, and social workers. According to the Department of Internal Affairs, the number of women and children seeking counseling has increased recently. This does not necessarily mean an increase in violence, but rather shows a trend of women speaking out boldly, no longer enduring in silence as before. In particular, since the city implemented Directive No. 39-CT/TU, many models for preventing and responding to violence and abuse against women and children have emerged, contributing significantly to the timely detection, reporting, and prevention of violent and abusive acts.
At the women's association level, a network of 50 community counselors has been formed, working closely with residents in each neighborhood and apartment complex to listen and provide support. Over 300 "Trusted Addresses" have been digitized using QR codes, uploaded to Google Maps, and connected to the S-App so that those in need can call for help with just one touch. Hundreds of safe houses, temporary shelters, rapid response teams, and pioneering men's clubs have helped many women and children overcome long, anxious nights.
Ms. Dang Thi Lieu, a member of the "Pioneering Core in Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls" Club in Hoa Cuong Ward, recounted that during mediation sessions in residential areas, she witnessed many cases where victims hesitated when asked about the reasons for enduring prolonged violence. Many women worried about their neighbors finding out and their children being affected. Patiently listening without judgment, she and the club members always tried to create a sense of safety for the victims before giving specific instructions on how to escape immediate danger, who to contact, and how to gather evidence. The Women's Union of Cam Le Ward has also received cases of domestic violence.
But according to Ms. Le Thi Thu Huong, President of the Women's Union of the ward, such situations are now less frequent. However, "less frequent" does not mean "no longer." Every year, a few new cases still arise, and each case is a unique glimpse into the trauma that women silently carry for many years.
Ms. Huong said: “Sometimes, women don't need much, just a place to talk and express themselves. There are things that seem very small, like a harsh or irritable remark, but over time they become a source of fear. This month of action is like an excuse for us to boldly knock on every door, ask about every issue, so that everyone understands that gender equality is a right, not something to be granted.”
It can be said that the journey to making a city safer for women and children does not rely solely on kindness or fleeting goodwill. It requires a silent, sustained system. And the annual Month of Action for Gender Equality and Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence, launched by Da Nang, is a way for the city to emphasize that violence prevention should not only occur during incidents, but must become a habit and a culture of behavior within the community.
The month of action will eventually come to an end. The propaganda posters will be taken down. The Dragon Bridge will return to its familiar color-changing rhythm. But for many, especially those who have emerged from the shadows of violence, the color orange will remain in their subconscious as a silent reminder that they deserve to live safely and happily.
Source: https://baodanang.vn/vi-mot-thanh-pho-an-toan-3313965.html
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