A leaflet is used to call on people joint prevent and control social evils including prostitution, drug crimes and gambling. Photo tiengchuong.chinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — A programme has been launched to help prostitutes get off the streets and out of establishments that illegally sell sex while helping them to reintegrate back into society.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs has announced a plan involving ministries and agencies to implement the prostitution prevention and control programme for the 2021-2025 period.

It was ratified by Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính a year ago and aims to enhance the capacity of getting access to and using social services to help ex-prostitutes and improve the effectiveness of communications and education on prostitution prevention. 

It wants at least 70 per cent of communes and wards to have a regular means of communication on prostitution prevention.

At least 60 per cent of labourers at industrial parks and 70 per cent of students at high schools and higher education establishments will be provided with knowledge, laws and policies on prostitution prevention.

All provinces and centrally run cities are required to develop a plan and organise the implementation of control activities.

Denunciations, reports and complaints about violations of the law will be classified and handled quickly.

Each year it is estimated that there is a 3 to 5 per cent increase in crimes related to prostitution.

At least 20 per cent of the number of service-providing establishments that are prone to prostitution will be inspected each year.  

At least ten per cent of district-level areas in provinces and centrally-run cities develop and implement pilot models on intervention and prostitution prevention.

Localities are also urged to have activities in place to ensure the rights of workers in establishments that are prone to prostitution.

To realise such goals, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs pointed out key activities relating to communication, preventive measures and support for vulnerable groups.

Authorities are asked to formulate and implement communication strategies on guidelines and policies of the Party and State for the prevention and combat of prostitution. Communication campaigns are also expected to reduce stigma and discrimination of the community towards sex workers.

Communication activities would be strengthened, particularly focusing on areas which are home to ethnic minorities, mountainous areas or those with many migrants to limit the number of new people involved in prostitution.

Methods and content of communication work must be innovated in a lively way to attract young people, through the application of information and communication technology, through the Internet and social networks.

Labour Ministry, Việt Nam Women’s Union and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities would organise investigations, surveys, reviews, assessments and forecasts on the needs of sex workers with financial difficulties. Localities would then offer support to those vulnerable groups.

Female job seekers would be given more attention when localities develop and implement job training/job introduction programmes or preferential loans for poverty reduction.

State employees, officials and soldiers who are assigned tasks relating to prostitution prevention and control would have capacity improved thanks to more specialised materials. Press agencies, reporters and editors would also be trained to produce proper products over the issues. Grassroots information staff, particularly reputable persons in community of ethnic groups, would be used to join in communication activities.

Figures from the International Labor Organisation (ILO) suggested that there are nearly 101,300 sex workers, including 72,000 women, in Việt Nam. VNS