Border gate officers read specialised curriculum with essential skills, promoting a victim-centred and child-friendly approach. — Photo courtesy of the IOM

HÀ NỘI — A four-years partnership that has delivered significant progress in strengthening child justice in Việt Nam concluded on Wednesday.

The event was co-organised by the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Since its inception in December 2021, the partnership has supported legal and institutional reforms to better protect children who come into contact with the law, ensuring their rights, dignity and well-being are upheld throughout justice processes.

“We applaud Việt Nam’s many efforts to improve the criminal justice process for children, including passage of the Juvenile Justice Law. These achievements would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of our partners in the Government of Việt Nam, IOM, UNICEF, and the many stakeholders who contributed their expertise and passion to this effort,” said Michael Swanberry, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Việt Nam.

“The United States remains committed to supporting Việt Nam’s efforts to protect children from transnational organised crime like child trafficking so that together we can foster a strong and prosperous future,” he said.

Every year, approximately 80,000 children enter Việt Nam’s justice system – including 8,000 in conflict with the law, 2,000 child victims of crimes, and 70,000 children involved in family law cases.

For many, traditional justice procedures such as police interviews and court proceedings can be intimidating and traumatic. The partnership was established to ensure that the justice system serves as a protective shield for children and vulnerable groups rather than an overwhelming force.

Over four years, the project has delivered several landmark results to promote a more child-friendly justice environment, including legal reform, which strengthened the child justice legal framework, most notably through the adoption of the historic Child Justice Law.

Besides, it brings professional capacity building, trained thousands of incoming and frontline law enforcement officers and justice actors to apply child-friendly procedures and uphold the best interest of the child.

More work is specialised training on counter-smuggling and trafficking prevention, developed a comprehensive training curriculum for frontline officers, particularly those stationed at border gates, focused on counter-smuggling and early detection of trafficking victims.

These officers serve as the first line of defence against cross-border crime and the first point of contact for migrants and children at risk.

In addition, it gives integrated victim care: developed technical guidelines that enable child victims of violence to access comprehensive services.

Kendra Rinas, IOM Chief of Mission in Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of the IOM

Kendra Rinas, IOM Chief of Mission in Việt Nam, said, “We are proud to see the specialised curriculum equip 310 border gate officers with essential skills, from document checks and risk assessment to victim identification, while promoting a victim-centred, child-friendly approach. This effort aligns with Việt Nam’s revised Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking”.

“Frontline officers are the critical support for victims. This innovative collaboration underscores one key point: sustainability begins with strengthened systems and embedded practices,” she added.

“These efforts provide stronger protection for child victims, enabling them to share their experiences safely and with less risk of further trauma,” said Ziad Nabulsi, UNICEF Representative (Officer-in-Charge).

While celebrating these achievements, partners emphasised that continued efforts are required.

Passing legislation is only the first step – the real challenge lies in effective law implementation to ensure that progressive legal provisions translate into positive, day-to-day improvements for every child across Việt Nam.

The success of this initiative was made possible through the strategic the dedicated coordination of the Ministry of Justice’s International Cooperation Department, the Department of Border Gates of the Việt Nam Border Guard and active engagement of Government line ministries, law enforcement and justice agencies.

All partners reaffirm their commitment to building a justice system that is inclusive, accessible and protective for all children in Việt Nam. — VNS