Students in a classroom at Thiên Ân School in HCM City’s Bình Tân District. The city has launched a five-year programme on prevention and control of child violence and abuse at schools. — VNS Photo Ngọc Diệp

HCM CITY — A co-operation programme between HCM City’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Department of Education and Training aims to strengthen the prevention and control of child violence and abuse by 2025.

The five-year programme will help the two departments enforce child protection measures at the pre-school to high school levels, and raise awareness among managers tasked with carrying out the programme's objectives.

The two departments will also review provisions on preventing and combating violence and abuse of children and then propose amendments or supplementation to laws on the issue.

In addition, the departments plan to improve information dissemination and educational activities on laws concerning children's rights and self-protection responsibilities at educational institutions

Developing plans on interventions in cases of child violence and sexual abuse is also part of the larger effort.

All concerned local agencies are expected to increase inspections to discover whether the law on child protection and child abuse prevention at schools and childcare facilities, especially nursery establishments, is being enforced.

Agencies will also organise training courses for officials about interventions for children who are victims of sexual abuse or are at risk of violence.

Lê Hoài Nam, director of the city’s Department of Education and Training, said it would ensure programme consistency and efficiency. “All relevant agencies and organisations have been asked to fulfill their assigned tasks well.”

Lê Minh Tấn, director of the city’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said its sub-departments in 24 districts, together with high schools, would work to develop plans and organise communication activities on prevention and control of child violence and abuse.

They will also focus on disseminating the emergency telephone number (111) for child protection at educational institutions and include information in publications about strategies to prevent child abuse for students and teachers.

“Children will be provided with self-defence skills, and learn internet safety tips and self-protection responsibilities,” he said.

Unit managers and teachers will receive training to improve their capacity to prevent and combat child violence and abuse.

The city has more than two million children, including around one million males, or 51.5 per cent of the total number of children. There are more than 10,000 children living in special circumstances and thousands of children under 15 years old who are registered as temporary residents.

Last year, six cases of violence against children and 14 cases of sexual violence against children were recorded in the city. — VNS