Jointly organised by the Management and SustainableDevelopment Institute(MSD) under the SoutheastAsian Research Association of Vietnam (SEARAV), and the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Child Rights (VACR), the seminar was part of activities within the frameworkof a project funded by the Justice Initiatives Facilitation Fund (JIFF) to support access tojustice for victims of child sexual abuse in Hanoi.
Addressing the seminar, VACR Vice Chairwoman Ninh Thi Hong highlighted the significanceof the gathering, saying it aimed to raise public awareness about child sexual abuse prevention and provideknowledge on laws and the necessary legal support in the event a child is being sexually abused.
Participants emphasised the need to apply strict punishmentson child sexual abusers.
They also proposed specificmeasures and action programmes to prevent the sexual abuse of children and support victims of sexual abuse and their families.
Figures from the Criminal Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security revealed that 2,643 cases of sexual violence againstchildren were reported in 2017-2018. But this was almost certainly only the tipof the iceberg, as many cases go undetected or the victims and their families failto report such cases to authorities.
The Child Law 2016 has created an important legal corridor for the protection,care, and education of children, significantly contributing to the implementationof children’s fundamental rights.
The law devotes a separate chapter on child protection and regulates child protectionrequirements as well as the establishment of child protection service facilities.
The Government has also promulgated a number of documents guiding the implementationof child care and protection./.