It was agreed that challenges regarding human resources andfinance hamper social work development in the world and ASEAN in particular.
Additionally, ASEAN also faces changes arising from thefourth industrial revolution, population aging and climate change, whichcreates opportunities and challenges to socio-economic development policies ofeach country and the nation, including social welfare and work.
UNICEF General Director for East Asia and the Pacific KarinHulshof said increasing supply of social services is a priority in UNICEF’sstrategy for the 2018 – 2021 period in order to protect children from violenceand abuse, contributing to fulfilling the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
It is said to be hard to achieve 65 percent of the 169 goalsunder the 17 SDGs without the participation of social services agencies.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalidsand Social Affairs Le Tan Dung said about 20 million Vietnamese people, or over20 percent of the total population, need to access social work services.
The Vietnamese Government has also issued legal documents tocreate an important legal foundation for ministries, agencies and localities todevelop professional social work in the country.
In accordance with the PM’s decision approving the social workdevelopment project for the 2020 – 2020 period, ministries, agencies andlocalities have also issued legal documents and developed social workestablishments and personnel, as well as communications and internationalcooperation.
A number of regulations on social work are stipulated in theLabour Code, the Law on the Elderly, the Law on Persons with Disabilities, theLaw on Children, and the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control./.