The Family and Juvenile Court aims to provide better support and protection for children who come into contact with the law. The launch ceremony was attended by Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court, Nguyen Hoa Binh.
According to UNICEF Representative in Vietnam Youssouf Abdel-Jelil, Vietnam’s establishment of the Family and Juvenile Court in 2014 was a major milestone for children’s rights in Vietnam.
The launch of the Dong Thap Family and Juvenile Court speaks for Vietnam’s continued commitment to upholding children’s rights as are enshrined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, he added.
Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme People’s Court Le Hong Quang emphasised that the establishment of Family and Juvenile Court is not merely about rearranging the structure of the People’s court system, rather, this institution permits specialisation in the handling of family and children’s cases which will lead to an increase in the effectiveness and quality of cases, and shorten the time of adjudication of these cases in the People’s Courts.
The Family and Juvenile Court is multi-jurisdictional, covering children’s matters in the civil, administrative and criminal law. Expected to be a central component of Vietnam’s national child protection system, the Family and Juvenile Court plays a vital role in connecting all of the justice and social sectors to support the prevention and response to protection and offence related risks.
In the lead up to the launch of the court, UNICEF has provided training on children’s rights and justice for children to the incoming Family and Juvenile judges. The training has equipped the 62 judges with an understanding of children’s rights, child and adolescent development and basic skills on child-friendly and gender sensitive procedures.
The first Family and Juvenile Court was launched in Ho Chi Minh City in 2016. It is expected that the Family and Juvenile Court will be rolled out across every provinces in Vietnam.
