Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women’s Union Nguyễn Thị Tuyến (R) and UNICEF Representative in Vietnam Silvia Danailov at their meeting on October 3. (Photo: phunuvietnam.vn)

HÀ NỘI — Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Women’s Union Nguyễn Thị Tuyến has urged expanded collaboration between the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Vietnamese political and social organisations to develop comprehensive programmes for child care and protection.

Meeting with UNICEF Representative in Việt Nam Silvia Danailov in Hà Nội on October 3, Tuyến underscored that Việt Nam always sees UNICEF as an important development partner which has made substantive contributions to the country’s child care and education for decades. She noted the organisation’s support in helping the country overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding immunisation programmes, and providing emergency relief during disasters.

Child care, protection and education remain top priorities in Việt Nam’s development policy,” Tuyến affirmed, recalling that Việt Nam ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990 and adopted two optional protocols in 2000. She also emphasised the country’s legislative and policy framework to safeguard children’s rights.

Notably, Party General Secretary Tô Lâm directed the implementation of tuition-free education across all public education institutions from early childhood schools to upper secondary schools starting from the 2025–2026 academic year, aiming at ensuring the right to education and easing the financial burden on families, particularly those with difficult circumstances, she stressed.

Tuyến added that over the years, the Vietnam Women's Union and the Ho iChí Minh Communist Youth Union have partnered closely with UNICEF in a range of initiatives, including healthcare and child protection programmes, anti-trafficking efforts, clean water and sanitation projects in rural areas, parenting education, and gender-based violence prevention.

Danailov, for her part, highlighted the women’s union as a vital partner in improving parenting skills, promoting gender equality, and combating gender-based violence.

Both sides agreed to expand their cooperation to improve living conditions and protect the rights of women and children, with a focus on preventing child abuse, tackling child marriage, supporting victims of abuse and trafficking, enhancing gender equality, and increasing youth participation in social life. — VNS