The three-day forum is held jointly by the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA); the National Assembly Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children; and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. The event attracted the participation of nearly 200 children between 10 to 16 years-old from 48 cities and provinces nationwide.
At the forum, the participating children are encouraged to raise their voices on four major topics including violence and abuses against children, child sexual abuse, child labour, and early marriage.
A dialogue is scheduled on the morning of August 26 where children can talk with representatives of ministers, sectors and organisations on issues that they most concern among the four above topics.
Speaking at the opening, MOLISA Deputy Minister Dao Hong Lan stressed that as children are the country’s future wealth, it is necessary to help children access information and express their opinions and thoughts.
She called on functional organisations, agencies and individuals to listen to children’s ideas and foster prompt response to their opinions.
She appreciated the forum as a good opportunity to encourage children to share their future dreams and convey their opinions to relevant ministries and sectors.
She also hoped that together with social organisations, participating children will be active members who help bring Child Law into life and contribute to building a society without violence and abuse against children.
The biennial National Children’s Forum was first held in Hanoi in 2009 to provide a venue for children to raise their aspirations, which will hep functional agencies find solutions on child-related issues.
