Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Lê Tấn Dũng speaks at aseminar was held in Hà Nội on Monday to start preparations for an ASEAN declaration on social work development. — VNA/VNS Photo Anh Tuấn

Experts at the conference said human resources and financial challenges are hindering social work development in ASEAN countries.

ASEAN also faces changes from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, population aging and climate change, which creates opportunities and challenges to the socio-economic development policies of each country, including social welfare and social work.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Lê Tấn Dũng said about 20 million Vietnamese people, or more than 20 per cent of the population, are in need of access to social work services. 

“The Vietnamese Government has issued legal documents to create an important legal foundation for ministries, agencies and localities to develop professional social work in the country,” he said.

In accordance with former Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng’s decision to approve the social work development project for 2010-20, ministries, agencies and localities have also issued legal documents and developed social work establishments and personnel, as well as communications and international co-operation, Dũng added.

A number of regulations on social work have been stipulated in the Labour Code, the Law on the Elderly, the Law on Persons with Disabilities, the Law on Children, and the Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control, he said.

UNICEF General Director for East Asia and the Pacific Karin Hulshof said increasing supply of social services is a priority in UNICEF’s strategy for 2018-21 to protect children from violence and abuse, contributing to fulfilling the sustainable development goals (SDGs). 

It would be hard to achieve 65 per cent of the 169 goals under the 17 SDGs without the participation of social services agencies, she said. — VNS