Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh meets with Silvia Danailov, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam. Photo: National Assembly of Vietnam Online Portal.

On October 2, Vice Chairwoman Thanh received Ms. Danailov, who was appointed UNICEF's Representative in Vietnam in August. Thanh congratulated her on the new role and thanked UNICEF for its support to regions affected by natural disasters like Typhoon Yagi. She also praised nearly 50 years of cooperation between UNICEF and Vietnam in advocating for child rights and providing vulnerable groups equal opportunities for development.

Vice Chairwoman Thanh emphasized that Vietnam’s consistent policy under the leadership of the Party and State is to link economic development with social progress and equity, with special attention to women and children. Since the adoption of the 2013 Constitution, children’s rights have been integrated into Vietnam’s human rights framework, bringing them in line with international standards and practices.

She also acknowledged the significant progress made by the National Assembly in enacting laws and policies to protect children's rights. The Law on Children, for instance, defines 25 groups of children’s rights and outlines the responsibilities of families, educational institutions, and government bodies in ensuring these rights are upheld.

However, Vice Chairwoman Thanh pointed out that children in Vietnam, like elsewhere, face emerging challenges in the digital era. The rapid expansion of information technology and the internet has presented both opportunities and risks, with children being exposed to harmful content, especially on cross-border platforms. Additionally, they are also among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and non-traditional security threats.

Thanh expressed her hope that under Ms. Danailov’s leadership, UNICEF will continue collaborating with key Vietnamese institutions such as the Vietnam Women's Union, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. She called for greater cooperation to address issues like gender imbalance at birth, childhood malnutrition, obesity, and the healthcare needs of children affected by Agent Orange.

In response, Ms. Danailov praised the National Assembly’s efforts in developing laws that protect children’s rights, particularly highlighting the new Juvenile Justice Law. She affirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Vietnam’s socio-economic development plans, especially in areas such as addressing severe acute malnutrition, improving mental healthcare for children, and ensuring their safety in the digital environment.

Danailov also suggested raising the legal definition of a child’s age to align with international conventions and expressed her hope for cooperation in celebrating Vietnam’s upcoming milestones: the 35th anniversary of Vietnam’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 50th anniversary of UNICEF’s presence in Vietnam, both in 2025.

Hoang Nam

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