HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese children have joined millions of kids around the world to raise their voice to save children’s lives, fight for their rights and help them fulfill their potential.

The initiative is part of efforts to celebrate World Children’s Day, which falls on November 20.

Last Saturday, some 80 children in HCM City met Vice Chairwoman of the city People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Thu and other leaders of different city departments. They talked about issues children in the city are facing, recommendations to address these issues, their view about a city that they would want to live in and what they themselves can do to contribute to build such a city.

The kids urged the city’s leaders and agencies to create favourable conditions and opportunities for them to learn more about national and the city’s history.

They also introduced the recently-established City Children’s Council and highlighted how this council could help realise their rights of participation.

On Monday, November 20, the children will meet Vice Chairwomen of the National Assembly Tòng Thị Phóng to learn about the National Assembly’s role in ensuring the realisation of children’s rights.

They will also share with the vice chairwoman the outcomes of the National Children’s Forum and request due attention of the National Assembly to address these issues.

On the same day, Minister of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs Đào Ngọc Dung will help children learn about the work the ministry, which is responsible for childcare and protection, has undertaken to realise children’s rights. The children will share their concerns with the minister, especially those related to violence against children, and request the ministry to put greater efforts in addressing these concerns.

The children will also “take over” UNICEF’s Việt Nam social media for a week 9 (November 17-23) to reflect the voices of children from different regions of the country.

“It’s a fun day with a serious point -- a day of action for children, and by children. When children meet with political leaders, it gives them an opportunity to shine a light on the most pressing challenges faced by their generation. It’s relevant to Việt Nam, given the recently-effective Law on Children, which provides greater alignment with the Convention on the Rights of Child, including children’s rights to participation,” Youssouf Abdel-Jelil, representative of UNICEF in Việt Nam, said.

November 20 also marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989 and the mobilisation of the first World Children’s Day. Children from around the world will "take over" key roles in media, politics, business, sport and entertainment to help make children’s issues part of the public agenda.

At schools worldwide, children will also take over classrooms and assemblies to raise their voices and organise fundraising activities in solidarity with the world’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable children. — VNS