Speaking at the function, head of the Party Central Committee’s Mass Mobilisation Commission Truong Thi Mai took note of the support given to Agent Orange (AO) victims by public agencies as well as individuals and organisations in Vietnam and overseas.
She lauded the VAVA’s performance over the years, urging the association to continue their communication campaigns on the impacts of chemical warfare.
The VAVA should work to consolidate its position as an official representative for legal rights and interests of the AO community, Mai said.
The implementation of policies targeting dioxin victims should be assessed for improvements, she added.
The congress announced the president’s decision to bestow the Labour Order, first class, upon the VAVA.
On the occasion, standout individuals and groups inside the VAVA were granted the Labour Order, Third Class, and the Prime Minister’s certificate of merit in recognition for their contributions.
The third national congress, themed “For AO victims”, took place in Hanoi on July 12-13 with the participation of 300 delegates, and is one of the activities held in response to the 55th anniversary of the Day for Agent Orange/Dioxin Victims (August 10, 1961-2016).
About 80 million litres of toxic chemicals, mainly Agent Orange containing dioxin, were sprayed over the south of Vietnam from 1961 to 1971. Nearly 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to the chemicals and about three million people and their descendants suffer from health problems as a consequence of the exposure.
